Emergency

German in emergencies

Phrases and vocabulary for medical emergencies, the emergency call, theft, lost documents, and help at the police station.

Quick Tips

Short cues that help immediately in a stressful real-life moment.

Emergency 112 for life-threatening situations

For medical emergencies, accidents, or fires, the number is one one two. It is free across Europe.

Police 110 for crimes

For theft, assault, or other crimes, call the police in Germany on one one zero.

Keep important documents separately

Keep copies of your ID, insurance card, and visa separately from the originals — ideally digitally in the cloud.

Mini Scenarios

Short scripts for common moments you are likely to face on site.

Making an emergency call

Situation

You are calling 112 after an accident.

Say This

There has been an accident at Hauptstraße ten. One person is injured and breathing shallowly.

Useful Follow-up

Should we stay on the scene until you arrive?

Reporting a theft

Situation

Your wallet was stolen on the metro.

Say This

My wallet was just stolen from me on the metro. I would like to file a report.

Useful Follow-up

Could you help me get my cards blocked?

Replacing a lost document

Situation

You are going to the citizen office because your ID is gone.

Say This

I have lost my ID card and need a replacement — what is the procedure?

Useful Follow-up

Which documents do I need to bring today?

Key Phrases

Short, useful lines you can actually say out loud.

Audio ready

Ich brauche dringend Hilfe.

I urgently need help.

I urgently need help — the person I am with is doing very badly.

Bitte rufen Sie einen Krankenwagen.

Please call an ambulance.

Please call an ambulance — there was an accident, and someone is injured.

Es gab einen Unfall.

There has been an accident.

There has been an accident in front of our building; a car and a bicycle are involved.

Mein Portemonnaie wurde gestohlen.

My wallet has been stolen.

My wallet was stolen on the train, with my ID and bank cards inside.

Ich habe meinen Ausweis verloren.

I have lost my ID.

I have lost my ID. Where can I file a report and apply for a new one?

Können Sie mir bitte helfen?

Could you please help me?

Excuse me, could you help me, please? I do not know my way around here.

Ich spreche nicht viel Deutsch.

I do not speak much German.

I do not speak much German. Can we speak English, or could you call an interpreter?

Ich möchte Anzeige erstatten.

I would like to file a report.

I would like to file a report — my bicycle was stolen from the courtyard last night.

Key Words

Core nouns and terms that come up again and again in this situation.

der Notfall

emergency

die Notfälle·Emergencies

In an emergency, dial one one two.

der Krankenwagen

ambulance

die Krankenwagen·Emergencies

The ambulance arrived in five minutes.

die Polizei

police

die Polizeien·Emergencies

The police cordoned off the scene immediately.

der Unfall

accident

die Unfälle·Emergencies

The accident happened at the intersection.

der Diebstahl

theft

die Diebstähle·Emergencies

You should definitely report the theft to the police.

die Anzeige

criminal report

die Anzeigen·Emergencies

You can also file a criminal report online.

der Ausweis

ID document

die Ausweise·Emergencies

Without an ID you cannot open a bank account.

die Verletzung

injury

die Verletzungen·Emergencies

The injury to the leg looked worse than it actually was.

Common Questions

Natural wording for the follow-up questions people ask all the time in this situation.

Which number do I call in an emergency?

For medical emergencies, accidents, or fire dial one one two. For the police, one one zero.

How do I say that I have just been robbed?

Say directly: I have just been attacked. Please send the police immediately. Give the location as precisely as possible.

What do I do if I have lost my residence permit?

Report the loss to the police immediately and file a report. Then go to the immigration office with the confirmation.