German - Emergencies: Short Alerts

Lesson 137 of 158

Learner practicing German emergency phrases, focusing on clear short alerts for accidents and safety.

Goal: Quick German phrases for urgent situations

Free German lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Quick and calm — that's the goal. In this short lesson you'll hear useful emergency phrases and practice saying them aloud.

Level A2: This lesson focuses on nine practical emergency phrases you can use in accidents and urgent situations: calming someone, warning people to leave, reporting bleeding or an accident, asking for an ambulance, and saying a body part is immobile or missing. CEFR-aligned and compact — perfect for travel or everyday readiness.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use key emergency phrases in spoken German (A2 level).
  • Practice short commands and reports: Bleib ruhig., Geh sofort raus!, Ich brauche einen Krankenwagen.
  • Be able to point to pain or describe a body part you cannot move.
  • Speak these phrases aloud with confidence in urgent moments.
A street scene showing a small accident where a bystander uses German emergency phrases to help.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Bleib ruhig.

Stay calm.

Meaning: Stay calm.

When to use: Use with one person (du) to calm someone during a stressful or dangerous moment.

Tip: Don't use 'Bleibt ruhig' with one person; that's for groups.

Bleib ruhig, ich hole Hilfe.
Stay calm, I'll get help.
Bleib ruhig, atme tief ein.
Stay calm, breathe deeply.

Geh sofort raus!

Get out now.

Meaning: Get out now.

When to use: A loud, immediate warning to tell someone to leave a dangerous place right away.

Tip: For multiple people say 'Geht sofort raus!'; for formal use 'Gehen Sie sofort raus!'

Feuer! Geh sofort raus!
Fire! Get out now!
Der Boden ist kaputt — geh sofort raus!
The floor is broken — get out now!

Fass es nicht an.

Don't touch it.

Meaning: Don't touch it.

When to use: Warn people not to handle a dangerous object, chemical, or suspicious item.

Tip: In formal situations say 'Fassen Sie es nicht an.' or use 'Fass das nicht an.' for a specific 'das'.

Das Kabel ist defekt — fass es nicht an.
The cable is damaged — don't touch it.
Das Glas ist scharf. Fass es nicht an.
The glass is sharp. Don't touch it.

Es gab einen Unfall.

There was an accident.

Meaning: There was an accident.

When to use: Use to report that an accident occurred; a concise phrase for witnesses or callers.

Es gab einen Unfall auf der Kreuzung.
There was an accident at the intersection.
Ruf die Polizei—es gab einen Unfall!
Call the police — there was an accident!

Ich kann meinen ___ nicht bewegen.

I can't move my ___.

Meaning: I can’t move my ___.

When to use: Describe that a specific body part cannot be moved. Insert the correct body part in the blank (Arm, Bein, Hand, Fuß...).

Tip: Choose correct gender: meinen for masculine (Arm), meine for feminine (Hand), mein for neuter (Bein).

Ich kann meinen Arm nicht bewegen.
I can't move my arm.
Nach dem Sturz: Ich kann meinen Fuß nicht bewegen.
After the fall: I can't move my foot.

Ich brauche einen Krankenwagen.

I need an ambulance.

Meaning: I need an ambulance.

When to use: Request urgent medical transport when someone is seriously injured or unconscious.

Schnell, ich brauche einen Krankenwagen!
Quick, I need an ambulance!
Er ist bewusstlos — ich brauche einen Krankenwagen.
He's unconscious — I need an ambulance.

Hier tut es weh.

It hurts here.

Meaning: It hurts here.

When to use: Point to a spot on the body and say this to identify where the pain is.

Hier tut es weh — am Rücken.
It hurts here — in my back.
Wenn ich das berühre: Hier tut es weh.
When I touch it: it hurts here.

Ich blute.

I'm bleeding.

Meaning: I’m bleeding.

When to use: Use to tell helpers that there is active bleeding that needs attention.

Tip: Don't say 'Ich bin blutend' — 'Ich blute' is the natural, direct report.

Ich blute — bitte helft mir.
I'm bleeding — please help me.
Da! Ich blute aus dem Bein.
There! I'm bleeding from my leg.

Mein(e) ___ ist weg.

My ___ is missing.

Meaning: My ___ is missing.

When to use: Report a missing person or an important lost item; insert the missing thing in the blank.

Tip: Use 'mein' for masculine/neuter and 'meine' for feminine nouns (e.g., 'mein Schlüssel', 'meine Tasche').

Mein Ausweis ist weg.
My ID is missing.
Meine Tasche ist weg — mein Handy ist weg.
My bag is gone — my phone is missing.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

A witness and a helper at a small street accident.

Two people speak in German after an accident: reporting injury, asking for an ambulance, and giving quick commands.

Who asks for an ambulance?

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Es gab einen Unfall.

There was an accident.

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Bleib ruhig.

Stay calm.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Ich blute und ich kann meinen Arm nicht bewegen.

I'm bleeding and I can't move my arm.

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Ich brauche einen Krankenwagen.

I need an ambulance.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Hier tut es weh.

It hurts here.

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Geh sofort raus! Fass es nicht an.

Get out now! Don't touch it.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which German phrase means 'I'm bleeding'?

Which phrase is the most urgent command to tell someone to leave immediately?

Which phrase would you say to request medical transport?

Which phrase reports that an accident happened?

Anna holds her arm and says: 'I can't move my arm.'

Anna hält ihren Arm und sagt: '___'

A child wants to touch a broken bottle. The mother shouts: 'Don't touch it.'

Ein Kind will eine zerbrochene Flasche anfassen. Die Mutter ruft: '___'

In the burning building a neighbor shouts: 'Get out now!'

Im brennenden Gebäude ruft ein Nachbar: '___'

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Bleib ruhig.

Stay calm.

Say this phrase out loud:

Geh sofort raus!

Get out now!

Say this phrase out loud:

Fass es nicht an.

Don't touch it.

Say this phrase out loud:

Es gab einen Unfall.

There was an accident.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich kann meinen ___ nicht bewegen.

I can't move my ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich brauche einen Krankenwagen.

I need an ambulance.

Say this phrase out loud:

Hier tut es weh.

It hurts here.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich blute.

I'm bleeding.

Say this phrase out loud:

Mein(e) ___ ist weg.

My ___ is missing.