Aid vs. Aide

I'm pretty sure you've come across both 'aid' and 'aide'. In this lesson, we are going to analyze their differences. Promise it will come in handy.

What Is Their Main Difference?

Both 'aid' and 'aide' refer to helping someone. However, 'aid' is the consultation itself whereas, 'aide' is the person who helps someone who has an important job, especially a politician.

Differences

'Aid' can function as both a noun and a verb in the sentence. Its part of speech differs based on its meaning. If we use to indicate that we are giving assistance to someone/something, we use 'aid' as a verb:

In the past, girls were supposed to stay home and aid their mothers in the household chores.

Many people are in need of financial aid in Iran.

When we want to point out the person who is helping someone do something, we use 'aide'. Look at how it is used in different contexts:

I don't understand it why some university professors have aides.

Did Professor Dumbledore have an aide in Hogwarts?

Similarities

They are similar in that they have the same pronunciations. Their dictations are also nearly identical. Additionally, both refer to helping someone. Look:

Where did I last put the first aid kit?

Is an aide the same as an assistant?

Are They Interchangebale?

Although they are both used in pretty much the same contexts, they cannot be used interchangeably because the listener will get confused. As stated above, 'aide' refers to a kind of assistant. So, we cannot have a first 'aide' kit. Compare:

✓ I handed the first aid kit to the nurse.

✗ I handed the first aide kit to the nurse.

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