Ayudaron a la víctima.

to help

Breakdown of Ayudaron a la víctima.

• a: to
• la víctima: the victim

Questions & Answers about Ayudaron a la víctima.

What verb form is ayudaron?

Ayudaron is the preterite (simple past) form of ayudar and it is third person plural.

So it matches:

• they helped
• or, depending on context, you all helped (ustedes)

In this sentence, with no other context, an English speaker will usually read it as they helped.

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Why is the subject not stated? Where is ellos?

Spanish often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• Ayudaron already tells you it is third person plural
• So ellos ayudaron is possible, but usually unnecessary

You would add ellos only for emphasis, contrast, or clarity:

• Ellos ayudaron a la víctima, no los demás.
  They helped the victim, not the others.

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Could ayudaron mean something other than they helped?

Yes. Grammatically, ayudaron can also mean you helped when the subject is ustedes.

In Spain:

• vosotros ayudasteis = you all helped (informal)
• ustedes ayudaron = you all helped (formal)

So in Spain, if you see ayudaron without context, they helped is usually the most natural reading.

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