Do you need any/some help?

[Glizdka]

I'm not sure I get the difference between the two.

To me, "Do you need any help?" sounds like I'd love to be involved in that thing you're doing, and I'm offering my help, but I don't know if you could use it or even if I'd actually be helpful.

"Do you need some help?" sounds like I see you're having difficulty doing that thing you're doing, and I'm offering my help because I know you could use it and I'll be helpful.

 

[emsr2d2]

In many contexts, you could use either of them.

Helen: I'm moving house on Saturday.
Jane: Do you need any/some help?

 

[Glizdka]

In many contexts, you could use either of them.

Helen: I'm moving house on Saturday.
Jane: Do you need any/some help?

There are some contexts in which I think only one would apply. Could you help me tell them apart?

 

[emsr2d2]

There are some contexts in which I think only one would apply. Could you help me tell them apart?

Why don't you tell us what those contexts might be?

 

[Glizdka]

1) My dad's fixing his car. I don't know much about cars, but I do want to socialize a bit and spend time with him.
2) I see an elderly woman carrying two heavy bags with grocieries.
3) My mom's cooking dinner.
4) My kid's doing their homework, and their grades aren't the best, to say the least.
5) One of my student's doing an exercise at the board, and they're totally hopless.
6) My girlfriend's doing some paperwork. It's not hard, but tedious as heck.

 

[emsr2d2]

You haven't told us which of those you think need "some help" and which "any help"!

 

[jutfrank]

I think you're asking about the essential difference in meaning between some and any. Start by looking at this basic difference, using a few different contexts, and then extrapolate from there. Often a top-down approach is the better option when it comes to meaning.

 

[Glizdka]

I think you're asking about the essential difference in meaning between some and any. Start by looking at this basic difference, using a few different contexts, and then extrapolate from there. Often a top-down approach is the better option when it comes to meaning.

Bullseye. I'm just trying to get it down to a specific word (help) to test my understanding.

You haven't told us which of those you think need "some help" and which "any help"!

That's because I've already pointed out what I think the difference might be in post #1. I assume either is fine in all 6 of them, but I suspect one of the two is more appropriate/natural in some of these contexts. Let's see:

1) My dad's fixing his car. I don't know much about cars, but I do want to socialize a bit and spend time with him. - any help
2) I see an elderly woman carrying two heavy bags with grocieries. - some help
3) My mom's cooking dinner. - either
4) My kid's doing their homework, and their grades aren't the best, to say the least. - some help
5) One of my student's doing an exercise at the board, and they're totally hopless. - some help
6) My girlfriend's doing some paperwork. It's not hard, but tedious as heck. - either

 

[probus]

I'd use "Do you need some help?" if I was ready and able to provide the help myself. "Do you need any help?" is more general and admits such possibilities as "I can tell you how to find help" and "I'll get someone to help you."

That's the pattern for help. Other nouns may vary. For example, with foods some and any are equal.

Would you like some gravy with that? = Would you like any gravy with that?

I haven't been able to think of a general rule for discriminating the types.

 

[Tarheel]

I think you are doing quite well, and you have it figured out that "Do you need some help?" means you are ready, willing and able to supply that help.

 

[Tarheel]

Also, if a person says "Do you need some help?" he or she is more sure that the person really needs help than with the other one. ("Do you need any help?")

Native speakers usually understand things implicitly, and for that reason they have trouble explaining things. When someone asks them to explain something they have to think about it in a way they're not used to.