Learn Hardcore Russian: Конечно, я могу помочь тебе с домашним заданием. - Of course, I can help you with your homework.

Конечно translates to “of course” or “certainly.” It’s an adverb used to express agreement or to reassure the listener that something is possible or obvious. Placed at the beginning, it adds a friendly, confident tone: “Of course, I can help you…”

Why is the verb могу used here, and what is its infinitive form?

Могу is the first person singular, present tense of the verb мочь (to be able to/can). In Russian, when you want to say “I can do something,” you pair мочь in its conjugated form with the infinitive of the main verb (here, помочь). So я могу помочь literally means “I can to-help.”

What is the difference between помочь and помогать?

Both mean “to help,” but:
• помочь is perfective—emphasizes the completion of the action (“to give help,” focusing on the result).
• помогать is imperfective—focuses on the ongoing or repeated nature of helping.
Since the speaker offers to complete the help, the perfective помочь is more natural.

Why is тебе in the dative case?

In Russian, the verb помочь (to help) requires its beneficiary to be in the dative case. Тебе is the informal singular dative of ты (you), so it means “to you.”

Why do we say с домашним заданием instead of a direct object?

After помочь, you normally put the thing you’re helping with in the instrumental case, introduced by the preposition с (with). So:
• домашнее задание (homework) – nominative
• с домашним заданием – instrumental with с, meaning “with the homework.”

How do you decline домашнее задание in the instrumental case?

Домашнее is a neuter adjective; задание is a neuter noun. Instrumental singular neuter endings:
• домашним (adjective)
• заданием (noun)
Hence с домашним заданием.

Could the word order change? For example, Я могу, конечно, помочь тебе с домашним заданием?

Yes. Russian word order is relatively flexible. Placing конечно after могу (as an interjection) still works but gives slightly different emphasis. The original order (Конечно, я могу…) stresses assurance right away; the alternative highlights your ability first, then the reassurance.

Is it polite to use тебе, or should I say Вам?

Тебе is informal singular (“you” for friends, family, peers). If you’re speaking to someone you don’t know well, or to show respect, use the formal dative Вам:
Конечно, я могу помочь Вам с домашним заданием.