assistance
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assistance
The act of actively helping a person in an emergency or with a difficulty. The term is often used in a formal or legal context.
Jeder ist zur Hilfeleistung verpflichtet, wenn er Zeuge eines Unfalls wird.
Everyone is obligated to provide assistance if they witness an accident.
This noun is made up of 'Hilfe' (help) and 'Leistung' (service/performance). So it literally describes the act or carrying out of help.
Die schnelle Hilfeleistung der Sanitäter rettete dem Mann das Leben.
The paramedics' quick assistance saved the man's life.
'Hilfeleistung' (assistance) is a formal term from administrative and legal language. In everyday speech, you would simply say 'Hilfe' (help). It is often found in connection with laws, duties, and emergencies.
Das Gesetz schreibt die Hilfeleistung bei Unfällen vor.
The law requires assistance in the event of accidents.
A very important and common combination is 'unterlassene Hilfeleistung' (failure to provide assistance). This is a criminal offense in Germany and describes the failure to help in an emergency.
Dem Autofahrer wird unterlassene Hilfeleistung vorgeworfen, weil er einfach weitergefahren ist.
The driver is accused of failure to provide assistance because he simply drove on.
assistance / guidance
Hilfeleistung and Hilfestellung both refer to active support. Hilfeleistung often concerns an emergency or appears as a formal process. Hilfestellung usually means practical guidance with a task or problem. Hilfestellung is therefore the better choice when explaining individual steps in a task.
Nach dem Unfall bedankte sich die verletzte Frau für die schnelle Hilfeleistung.
After the accident, the injured woman thanked them for their prompt assistance.
Bei der schwierigen Übung bedankte sich die Teilnehmerin für die praktische Hilfestellung.
During the difficult exercise, the participant thanked them for the practical guidance.
