Spanish Emergency Phrases
Everybody has found themselves in an unfortunate situation. However, if you are in a spanish speaking country it may be hard to ask for help due to language restraints. So, as spanish language learners it’s useful to know some commonly used emergency phrases.
There are several emergency situations that may arise during a trip or stay in a spanish speaking country such as un crimen or crime, un robo or robbery or encontrarse perdido which means you are lost. In those cases, you need to know basic vocabulary to call a la policia or to the police.
If you are involved en una emergencia or emergency like un accidente or an accident, you simply call una ambulancia or an ambulance so un médico or doctor can see if you are injured. Los bomberos or the fire brigade can cope with un incendio or a fire if you decide to call them.
There’s basic phrases Spanish learners need to know to ask for ayuda or auxilio in the Spanish language. In a desperate situation you can simply cry out ¡Auxilio!/¡Socorro! which means help. If you want to be more specific of the kind of emergency you are experiencing you simply say ¡Ladrón! so everybody knows a thief has stolen something from you.
Tengo una emergencia | I have an emergency |
Necesito ayuda, por favor | I need help, please |
¿Puedes ayudarme, por favor? | Can you help me, please? |
¿Puedes llamar a una ambulancia? | Can you call an ambulance? |
¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano? | Where’s the nearest hospital? |
Quiero hacer una denuncia/Quiero denunciar un robo/crimen | I’d like to report a robbery/crime |
Necesito que me envíen una ambulancia | I need you to send me an ambulance |
¡Socorro!/ ¡Auxilio! | Help! |
¡Fuego! | Fire! |
¡Ladrón! | Thief! |
¿Me puede ayudar? | Can you help me? |
¡Ayudenme! | Help me! |
Llama a la policía | Call the police |
Llama a la ambulancia | Call an ambulance |
Estoy en peligro | I’m in danger |
Necesito ayuda | I need help |
Los robos or robberies are quite common when visiting a foreign country. In that case, you need to go to la comisaria or police station to denunciar or make a report of the robbery. Estar perdido or being lost in a spanish speaking country is also a common situation. You simply find someone on the street and say Estoy perdido if you are a male and Estoy perdida if you are a female.
Estoy perdido/perdida | I’m lost |
Mi hijo/ hija está perdido/perdida | My son/daughter is lost |
Me robaron el bolso/la billetera/el pasaporte | My purse/wallet/passport was stolen |
Perdí mi pasaporte | I lost my passport |
Acaban de asaltarme | I’ve been assaulted |
Quiero reportar un robo | I want to report a robbery |
¡Llame a la policía! | Call the police |
When visiting a Spanish speaking country you may feel sick or have a medical emergency. You need to recognize some basic topic related phrases to get the message across successfully. If you don’t feel well you simply say Necesito un médico or I need a doctor who will ask you basic questions to help you out.
Ha habido un accidente | There have been an accident |
Me he cortado | I’ve cut myself |
Me he quemado | I’ve burnt myself |
Necesito un médico | I need a doctor |
Creo que comí algo malo | I think I ate something bad |
¿Es alérgico a algún medicamento? | Are you allergic to any medications? |
Soy alergico a la penicilina | I’m allergic to penicilin |
¿Tienes algún tratamiento médico actual? | Do you have any medical treatment? |
¿Dónde te duele? | Where does it hurt? |
¿Perdió el conocimiento? | Does he/she lose consciousness? |
Respira profundo | Take a deep breath |
Abre la boca | Open your mouth |
No te muevas | Don’t move |
In case you are in an emergency as regards a stolen or lost passport, for instance, in a Spanish speaking country you simply ask ¿Dónde queda la embajada de ….? to ask for the embassy of your country.
It is highly likely you lose personal objects such as a wallet, passport or camara. You simply say He perdido mi billetera/pasaporte/cámara. Also, you can ask in your hotel reception for la oficina de objetos perdidos or the lost and found objets office to help you out.
¿Dónde queda la embajada/consulado de…? | Where is the embassy/consulate of…? |
Hay fuego en el pasillo | There’s fire in the hall |
Veo humo en... | I see smoke in... |
He perdido mi cámara | I’ve lost my camara |
Me he dejado las llaves dentro de la habitación | I’ve left my keys in my room |
¿Hay una oficina de objetos perdidos aquí? | Is there any lost and found office here? |
No encuentro el camino de regreso a mi hotel | I can’t find the way back to my hotel |
Difficult situations are highly likely to arise and you need to be prepared for that. It’s scary to go through an emergency in your home country with a familiar language but it’s scarier if you are in a foreign country with an unfamiliar language. Learning key vocabulary and phrases topic related will help you be prepared in case of an emergency in a spanish speaking country.