Spanish · Emergencies

Emergency Spanish

Doctor, police, lost passport — the phrases you hope you'll never need, and a way to practice them now.

52 entries ·Doctor, police, theft, illness · Audio on every entry · cross-checked

Imagine standing at a pharmacy counter in Madrid, trying to explain a sudden allergic reaction while your throat tightens, or realizing your passport is missing just hours before a flight from Buenos Aires. In those moments, polite textbook greetings won't help you. You need specific, urgent words that work immediately, even when adrenaline makes your mind go blank.

This guide is organized to help you navigate those high-stress situations with confidence. We have grouped the essentials into clear categories: medical emergencies, interacting with local police, and handling lost documents or travel disruptions. You will find direct translations alongside clear audio to help you practice pronunciation before you ever need to use it under pressure.

Every phrase and audio recording on this page has been cross-checked by native Spanish speakers and language experts to ensure accuracy when it matters most.

30 emergency phrases

Full index · ordered A → Z

Llamar a una ambulancia yah-MAHR ah OO-nah ahm-boo-LAHN-see-ah
Llame a la policía YAH-meh ah lah poh-lee-SEE-ah
¿Podría llamar a mi embajada? poh-DREE-ah yah-MAHR ah mee em-bah-HAH-dah
¡Fuego! FWAY-go
¡Fuego! FWAY-goh
Se desmayó seh des-mah-YOH
¡Ayuda! ah-YOO-dah
No puedo respirar. noh PWEH-doh res-pee-RAHR
No me siento bien. NOH meh SEE-en-toh bee-EN
No hablo español, ¿habla inglés? noh AH-bloh es-pah-NYOL, AH-blah een-GLAYS
Tengo fiebre. TEN-go FYEH-breh
Tengo dolor de pecho. TEN-go doh-LOR deh PEH-choh
Tengo intoxicación alimentaria. TEN-go een-tohx-ee-cah-see-OHN ah-lee-men-TEE-ah
Perdí la llave de mi hotel. pehr-DEE lah YAH-veh deh mee oh-TEL
Perdí mi teléfono. pehr-DEE mee teh-LEH-foh-noh
Necesito un médico. neh-seh-SEE-toh oon MEH-dee-koh
Necesito un traductor. neh-seh-SEE-toh oon trah-dook-TOR
Necesito medicina neh-seh-SEE-toh meh-dee-SEE-nah
Necesito analgésicos. neh-seh-SEE-toh ah-nahl-HEH-see-kohs
Necesito puntos de sutura. neh-seh-SEE-toh POON-tohs deh soo-TOO-rah
Necesito contactar a mi embajada. neh-seh-SEE-toh kohn-tahk-TAHR ah mee em-bah-HAH-dah
Necesito poner una denuncia. neh-seh-SEE-toh poh-NEHR OO-nah deh-NOON-see-ah
Necesito ir al hospital. neh-seh-SEE-toh eer ahl ohs-pee-TAHL
Necesito usar el teléfono. neh-seh-SEE-toh oo-SAR el teh-LEH-foh-noh
Me torcí el tobillo. meh tor-SEE el toh-BEE-yoh
Tuve un accidente automovilístico. TOO-veh oon ak-see-DEN-teh ow-toh-moh-bee-LEE-stee-koh
Soy alérgico/a a la penicilina soy ah-LEHR-hee-koh / ah
Estoy deshidratado/a. es-TOY des-ee-drah-TAH-doh / dah
¡Me está dando un infarto! meh eh-STAH DAHN-doh oon een-FAR-toh
Estoy teniendo una reacción alérgica. eh-STOY teh-NYEHN-doh OO-nah reh-ahk-SYOHN ah-LEHR-hee-kah
Tengo problemas para respirar. TEN-go pro-BLEH-mas PA-ra res-pee-RAR
Estoy herido ehs-TOY eh-REE-doh
Me han robado. meh ahn roh-BAH-doh
¿Hay heridos? EY ay-REE-dos
¿Todos están bien? TOH-dohs ehs-TAHN bee-EHN
¿Es seguro aquí? es seh-GOO-roh ah-KEE
¿El agua es potable? el AH-goo-ah es poh-TAH-bleh
¿Hay un hospital cerca? eye oon ohs-pee-TAHL SEHR-kah
Mi hijo/a desapareció. mee EE-hoh/ah deh-sah-pah-reh-SEE-oh
Mi hijo está enfermo. mee EE-ho es-TAH en-FER-moh
Me robaron el pasaporte. meh roh-BAH-ron el pah-sah-POR-teh
Allanaron mi habitación. ah-lah-NAH-ron mee ah-bee-tah-see-OHN
¡Ayúdame, por favor! eye-OO-dah-meh, por fah-VOR
Por favor, mantenga la calma. por fah-VOR, mahn-TEN-gah lah CAHL-mah
Ella no respira. EH-yah noh res-PEE-rah
Me robaron la billetera. meh roh-BAH-rohn lah bee-yeh-TEH-rah
Esto es una emergencia. ES-toh es OO-nah eh-mer-HEN-syah
¡Cuidado! kwee-DAH-doh
¿Dónde puedo obtener información sobre seguros? DOHN-deh pweh-doh ob-teh-NEHR een-fohr-mah-SYOHN SOH-breh seh-GOO-rohs
¿Dónde hay una farmacia? DOHN-deh EYE OO-nah far-MAH-see-ah
¿Dónde está el hospital? DOHN-deh ehs-TAH el ohs-pee-TAHL
¿Dónde está la estación de policía más cercana? DOHN-deh ehs-TAH lah ehs-tah-SYOHN deh poh-lee-SEE-ah mahs sehr-KAH-nah

Frequently asked

should I use tu or usted in an emergency

When dealing with police officers, doctors, or officials, it is always safest to use the formal 'usted'. However, if you are injured and someone is helping you, do not worry too much about grammar; getting your point across quickly is the main priority.

will spanish emergency services understand english

In major tourist hubs, you might find English-speaking dispatchers, but it is never guaranteed. Knowing how to state your location and the nature of your emergency in Spanish ensures you get help without dangerous delays.

how to say emergency in spanish

The word for emergency is 'emergencia'. If you need immediate assistance in public, shouting '¡Ayuda!' (Help!) or '¡Llamen a la policía!' (Call the police!) will instantly alert people around you.

what is the emergency number in spain and latin america

In Spain and several Latin American countries, dialing 112 connects you to emergency services, similar to 911 in the United States. Always look up the specific local equivalent for your exact destination before you travel.