English Emergency Phrases
In an emergency, say it loud and clear: 'Help!', 'Call an ambulance!', 'There's been an accident.' Give your location ('I'm at…'), say what is wrong, and stay on the line. Always learn the local emergency number before you travel.
Level: A2. This is a phrasebook page for a moment you hope never comes. The phrases are short on purpose — in a real emergency you want words you can shout or say under stress. Learn a handful by heart; play each line and copy it aloud.
By the end of this page you can…
…call for help, ask someone to phone the emergency services, report an accident or a theft, describe what is wrong, and ask for a doctor — clearly and quickly.
Calling for help
These are the loud, short phrases. Say them clearly and more than once if needed.
| Phrase | Natural meaning |
|---|---|
| Help! | Call for help from anyone nearby |
| Call the police! | Ask someone to phone the police |
| Call an ambulance! | Ask someone to phone for medical help |
| Call the fire brigade! | Ask for the fire service (US: fire department) |
| It’s an emergency. | Tell someone this is urgent |
Talking to the operator
When you reach the emergency line, the operator leads. Expect What’s the emergency? and Where are you? Answer with what is wrong and your location.
| Phrase | Natural meaning |
|---|---|
| There’s been an accident. | Report that an accident has happened |
| I’m at… (place / address). | Give your location |
| Someone is hurt. | Say a person is injured |
| Please hurry. | Ask them to come quickly |
| I don’t speak much English. | Warn them your English is limited |
Reporting what happened
Different emergencies need different first words.
- There’s been an accident. — a crash or injury.
- There’s a fire. — report a fire.
- I’ve been robbed. / Someone stole my bag. — a theft.
- I’m lost. — you can’t find your way and need help.
- My friend is unconscious. — someone has collapsed.
Health and injury
If the problem is medical, these phrases get you to the right help.
| Phrase | Natural meaning |
|---|---|
| I need a doctor. | Ask for medical help |
| I don’t feel well. | Say you feel ill |
| It hurts here. | Point to where the pain is |
| I’m allergic to… | Warn of an allergy (e.g. penicillin, nuts) |
| Where’s the nearest hospital? | Ask the way to a hospital |
A short conversation
Operator: Emergency services. What’s the emergency? You: There’s been an accident. Someone is hurt. Operator: Where are you? You: I’m on Market Street, opposite the library. Please hurry. Operator: Stay on the line. Help is on the way.
The phrases, with audio
Press play and repeat each line. The goal is to say these without thinking.
- Help!A loud call for help from anyone nearby.
- It's an emergency.Tell someone the situation is urgent.
- Call the police!Ask someone to phone the police.
- Call an ambulance!Ask someone to phone for medical help.
- Call the fire brigade!Ask for the fire service (US: fire department).
- There's been an accident.Report that an accident has happened.
- Someone is hurt.Say that a person is injured.
- I'm at the train station.Give your location to the operator.Add a landmark or exit if you can.
- Please hurry.Ask them to come quickly.
- There's a fire.Report a fire.
- I've been robbed.Report a theft.
- Someone stole my bag.Say what was taken.
- I'm lost.Say you can't find your way.
- I need a doctor.Ask for medical help.
- I don't feel well.Say that you feel ill.
- It hurts here.Show where the pain is.
- I'm allergic to penicillin.Warn of an allergy.Swap in your own allergy.
- Where's the nearest hospital?Ask the way to a hospital.
- I don't speak much English.Warn that your English is limited.
- Stay calm and stay on the line.What an operator may tell you to do.
Quick recap before you practise.
Practice
Emergency phrases practice
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
1 Match each phrase to the situation.
- Call an ambulance!
- There's a fire.
- I've been robbed.
- I need a doctor.
Show answer
- Call an ambulance! → someone is injured
- There's a fire. → a fire
- I've been robbed. → a theft
- I need a doctor. → you feel ill
Each emergency has its own first phrase.
Hint: a place preposition
Show answer
at — 'I'm at…' gives your location.
Hint: one word
Show answer
Help — 'Help!' is the clearest call for help.
6 Put the words in order to ask for medical help.
Show answer
I need a doctor. — A clear request: I need a doctor.
How to say it
A few emergency words are easy to mispronounce under stress. Copy the audio.
- ambulance stresses the first part: AM-byuh-luns.
- emergency stresses the second part: ih-MUR-jun-see.
- allergic has a hard first l and a soft g: uh-LUR-jik.
- hospital stresses the first part with a weak middle: HOSS-pi-tl.
- hurry has a short u and a rolled-sounding rr: HUR-ee.
Quiz
Emergency phrases quiz
10 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
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Show answer
Call an ambulance! — 'Call an ambulance!' asks for medical help fast.
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what's wrong and where you are — They need to know the emergency and your location.
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Show answer
I'm at the station, near the north exit. — 'I'm at…' plus a landmark tells help where to come.
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Show answer
I've been robbed. — 'I've been robbed' reports a theft.
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Show answer
I'm hurt. — 'I'm hurt' reports an injury to yourself.
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Show answer
It hurts here. — 'It hurts here' lets you point to the pain.
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Show answer
Numbers are different in each country — Emergency numbers change by country, so check the local one.
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Show answer
I don't speak much English. — This warns the operator your English is limited.
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Show answer
emergency — 'Emergency' is ih-MUR-jun-see; 'allergic' also stresses the second part but 'emergency' is the clearest here.
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Show answer
Please hurry. — 'Please hurry' asks for speed.
Recap cheat-sheet
| Need | Phrase to use |
|---|---|
| Get attention | Help! / It’s an emergency. |
| Get the right service | Call the police / an ambulance / the fire brigade! |
| Say what happened | There’s been an accident. / There’s a fire. |
| Give location | I’m at… (landmark / address). |
| Get a doctor | I need a doctor. / Where’s the nearest hospital? |
| Warn them | I don’t speak much English. |
Next
- Related lesson: English: Emergencies & Safety
- Related lesson: English: At the Doctor
- New here? Start with Start Learning English Here
All English phrases topics
Vocabulary, pronunciation, phrases, practice and exam help, ordered by level. Pick a topic and go straight to it. New lessons go live every day, so topics marked Coming soon fill in over the next weeks.
Phrases
A1 4 topics · 4 ready
A2 7 topics · 7 ready
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