diff --git a/internal/cmd/add.go b/internal/cmd/add.go
index 099e879..7618bc5 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/add.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/add.go
@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@ Required: <name> + --email. Everything else is optional.
 
 Run with no flags (just the name) and you'll get an interactive
 prompt for each field.`,
-		Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		Args: exactArgsHelp(1,
+			"gitswitch add requires an identity name",
+			"gitswitch add work --email you@company.com",
+			"gitswitch add personal              (interactive prompts for the rest)",
+		),
+		Example: "  gitswitch add work --email you@company.com --gh you-work\n" +
+			"  gitswitch add personal     # interactive: prompts for email, key, gh, etc.",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return runAdd(cmd, args[0])
 		},
diff --git a/internal/cmd/argshelp.go b/internal/cmd/argshelp.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7009c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cmd/argshelp.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+// argError formats a friendly "you used this wrong" error for argument
+// validation failures. The default cobra message ("accepts 1 arg(s),
+// received 0") is technically correct but tells the user nothing
+// useful — they have to leave the error and run --help to recover.
+//
+// Usage: pass a one-line description of what's wrong, then a list of
+// worked examples. The output is:
+//
+//   <usage>
+//
+//   examples:
+//     <ex 1>
+//     <ex 2>
+//
+//   run "<cmdpath> --help" for the full reference.
+func argError(cmd *cobra.Command, usage string, examples ...string) error {
+	var sb strings.Builder
+	sb.WriteString(usage)
+	if len(examples) > 0 {
+		sb.WriteString("\n\nexamples:")
+		for _, ex := range examples {
+			sb.WriteString("\n  ")
+			sb.WriteString(ex)
+		}
+	}
+	if cmd != nil {
+		sb.WriteString("\n\nrun \"")
+		sb.WriteString(cmd.CommandPath())
+		sb.WriteString(" --help\" for the full reference.")
+	}
+	return errors.New(sb.String())
+}
+
+// exactArgsHelp is cobra.ExactArgs(n) with a useful error message on
+// miscount. Pass the same usage + example shape as argError.
+func exactArgsHelp(n int, usage string, examples ...string) cobra.PositionalArgs {
+	return func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		if len(args) == n {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return argError(cmd, usage, examples...)
+	}
+}
+
+// rangeArgsHelp is cobra.RangeArgs(min, max) with a useful error message.
+func rangeArgsHelp(minArgs, maxArgs int, usage string, examples ...string) cobra.PositionalArgs {
+	return func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		if len(args) >= minArgs && len(args) <= maxArgs {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return argError(cmd, usage, examples...)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/cmd/delete.go b/internal/cmd/delete.go
index 071008b..a80ce13 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/delete.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/delete.go
@@ -28,7 +28,14 @@ Does NOT touch your SSH keys, GPG keys, or gh CLI authentication —
 those aren't gitswitch's to delete. Use this when you've added a
 duplicate by accident or want to retire an identity from gitswitch
 without nuking the underlying credentials.`,
-		Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		Args: exactArgsHelp(1,
+			"gitswitch delete requires an identity name",
+			"gitswitch delete work        (prompts before removing)",
+			"gitswitch delete work -y     (skips the confirmation)",
+		),
+		Example: "  gitswitch delete work\n" +
+			"  gitswitch rm personal -y\n" +
+			"  gitswitch list             # see what's configured first",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			yes, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("yes")
 			return runDelete(args[0], yes)
diff --git a/internal/cmd/doctor.go b/internal/cmd/doctor.go
index d921a61..555ae42 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/doctor.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/doctor.go
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ green line if everything agrees, or a red diff if they disagree.
 
 This is the command you should run any time you suspect "wait, did
 my last commit go out as the right person?"`,
-		RunE: runDoctor,
+		Example: "  gitswitch doctor",
+		RunE:    runDoctor,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/cmd/init.go b/internal/cmd/init.go
index 9c24a44..015e181 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/init.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/init.go
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ one. Writes the gitswitch config — but does not yet apply anything to
 
 This command is read-only with respect to the rest of your system. The
 only file it writes is ~/.config/gitswitch/config.json.`,
+		Example: "  gitswitch init           # interactive — prompts to name each identity\n" +
+			"  gitswitch init -y        # accept proposed names, no prompts",
 		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 			return runInit(assumeYes)
 		},
diff --git a/internal/cmd/list.go b/internal/cmd/list.go
index 00d23c1..3d6cceb 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/list.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/list.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ binding currently active. Reads ~/.config/gitswitch/config.json.
 
 This is what you should run before "gitswitch use" if you've
 forgotten the names of your identities.`,
+		Example: "  gitswitch list\n" +
+			"  gitswitch ls",
 		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 			return runList()
 		},
diff --git a/internal/cmd/rename.go b/internal/cmd/rename.go
index 19e5ed6..33c536f 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/rename.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/rename.go
@@ -27,7 +27,13 @@ func newRenameCommand() *cobra.Command {
 Useful when init auto-named an identity something awkward (e.g. a
 lowercased gh login) and you want a more human name. Underlying
 SSH keys and gh accounts are untouched.`,
-		Args: cobra.ExactArgs(2),
+		Args: exactArgsHelp(2,
+			"gitswitch rename takes <old-name> <new-name>",
+			"gitswitch rename ofirhaim1 personal",
+			"gitswitch mv work-old work    # alias",
+		),
+		Example: "  gitswitch rename ofirhaim1 personal\n" +
+			"  gitswitch mv work-old work-new",
 		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return runRename(args[0], args[1])
 		},
diff --git a/internal/cmd/use.go b/internal/cmd/use.go
index bbf59d6..7557f4e 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/use.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/use.go
@@ -36,7 +36,15 @@ Concretely, "use" does three things:
 Re-running "use" with the same identity + directory is a no-op (the
 sentinel-marked block is replaced in place). Run with --unbind to
 remove the binding.`,
-		Args: cobra.RangeArgs(1, 2),
+		Args: rangeArgsHelp(1, 2,
+			"gitswitch use takes <identity> [<directory>]",
+			"gitswitch use work ~/work      # bind work identity to ~/work",
+			"gitswitch use personal ~/code",
+			"gitswitch use work             # refresh per-identity config (no binding)",
+		),
+		Example: "  gitswitch use work ~/work\n" +
+			"  gitswitch use personal ~/code\n" +
+			"  gitswitch use work ~/work --unbind   # reverse the binding",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			unbind, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("unbind")
 			return runUse(args, unbind)
diff --git a/internal/cmd/why.go b/internal/cmd/why.go
index b09dadc..a7d0f87 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/why.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/why.go
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ included, what user.email resolves to, and whether the layers agree.
 
 The honest counterweight to any "automatic" tool — magic you can't
 inspect is just a bug waiting to happen.`,
+		Example: "  cd ~/work && gitswitch why\n" +
+			"  cd ~/personal && gitswitch why",
 		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 			return runWhy()
 		},