Spanish - Emergencies

Lesson 136 of 159

Learner practicing Spanish emergency phrases on a phone — quick useful language for emergencies.

Goal: Say what’s wrong and get help

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

Welcome back — brief and focused. This lesson gives you ready phrases for urgent moments so you can stay calm and say what’s happening.

Level A2: In Lesson 136 you'll practice key emergency phrases in Spanish for urgent situations — saying there’s an emergency, asking for help, reporting injuries or fire, and asking where medical help is. This CEFR-aligned mini-lesson lets you listen, repeat, and practice short dialogs so you can act fast if you need to.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Say and recognize short emergency statements (Es una emergencia., Hay un incendio.).
  • Ask for immediate help and for nearby medical help (Necesito ayuda ahora mismo.; ¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano?).
  • Use polite requests to get others to call or stay with you (Por favor, llama a emergencias.; Por favor, quédate conmigo.).
  • Practice A2-level phrases for safety and quick help.
Two people in a street scene using Spanish emergency phrases: reporting an injury and asking for 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.

Es una emergencia.

This is an emergency.

Meaning: This is an emergency.

When to use: Use this at the start of a situation that needs immediate attention — to alert bystanders or a responder.

¡Es una emergencia! Necesitamos salir ahora.
This is an emergency! We need to leave now.
Es una emergencia: hay una persona inconsciente aquí.
This is an emergency: there is an unconscious person here.

Necesito ayuda ahora mismo.

I need help right now.

Meaning: I need help right now.

When to use: Say this when you require immediate assistance and want someone nearby to act quickly.

¡Necesito ayuda ahora mismo! Alguien se cayó.
I need help right now! Someone fell.
Necesito ayuda ahora mismo, por favor, ¿puedes venir?
I need help right now, please can you come?

Por favor, llama a emergencias.

Please call emergency services.

Meaning: Please call emergency services.

When to use: Ask someone to contact emergency services when the situation requires professional help.

Hay humo en la cocina — por favor, llama a emergencias.
There is smoke in the kitchen — please call emergency services.
Por favor, llama a emergencias y di que hay una persona herida.
Please call emergency services and say there is a person hurt.

Alguien está herido.

Someone is hurt.

Meaning: Someone is hurt.

When to use: Report that a person is injured so others know medical attention may be needed.

Alguien está herido en la calle frente a la tienda.
Someone is hurt on the street in front of the shop.
Rápido, alguien está herido y no responde.
Quick, someone is hurt and not responding.

Hay un incendio.

There is a fire.

Meaning: There is a fire.

When to use: Report visible flames or smoke so people evacuate and services are alerted.

¡Hay un incendio en el edificio de al lado!
There is a fire in the building next door!
Vimos llamas; hay un incendio en la cocina.
We saw flames; there is a fire in the kitchen.

¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano?

Where is the nearest hospital?

Meaning: Where is the nearest hospital?

When to use: Ask this when you need to move someone to medical care or find urgent treatment.

¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano? Necesitamos una ambulancia.
Where is the nearest hospital? We need an ambulance.
Mi amigo está herido; ¿dónde está el hospital más cercano?
My friend is hurt; where is the nearest hospital?

No me siento a salvo.

I don't feel safe.

Meaning: I don't feel safe.

When to use: Use this to tell someone you feel endangered or uncomfortable in a situation.

Tip: Some learners say "no estoy seguro/a"; use "no me siento a salvo" to express personal feelings of safety.

No me siento a salvo aquí, ¿puedes quedarte conmigo?
I don't feel safe here — can you stay with me?
No me siento a salvo después de lo que pasó anoche.
I don't feel safe after what happened last night.

Por favor, quédate conmigo.

Please stay with me.

Meaning: Please stay with me.

When to use: Request that someone remain nearby for support or safety — common after injury or in scary situations.

Tip: Beginners sometimes use the formal form by mistake. Here the tú form "quédate" is natural with friends.

Por favor, quédate conmigo hasta que llegue la ayuda.
Please stay with me until help arrives.
Tengo miedo, por favor, quédate conmigo un momento.
I'm scared — please stay with me a moment.

No puedo respirar.

I can't breathe.

Meaning: I can't breathe.

When to use: Use this urgent health warning immediately if you or someone cannot breathe properly.

No puedo respirar, por favor, ayúdame.
I can't breathe, please help me.
Después del accidente, ella dijo: 'No puedo respirar.'
After the accident she said, 'I can't breathe.'

¿Puedes llamar a mi ___?

Can you call my ___?

Meaning: Can you call my ___?

When to use: Ask someone to contact a specific person (family member, doctor) when you can't make the call yourself.

Tip: Remember to add the person (mi mamá, mi doctor) after the blank; otherwise the question is incomplete.

¿Puedes llamar a mi mamá? Está enferma y necesito ayuda.
Can you call my mom? She's sick and I need help.
Si me desmayo, ¿puedes llamar a mi contacto? — Claro.
If I faint, can you call my contact? — Sure.

¿Te lastimaste?

Are you hurt?

Meaning: Are you hurt?

When to use: Ask this quickly after someone falls or is in an accident to check for injury.

¿Te lastimaste cuando te caíste?
Are you hurt when you fell?
Vi que tropezaste — ¿te lastimaste?
I saw you trip — are you hurt?

¿Todos están bien?

Is everyone okay?

Meaning: Is everyone okay?

When to use: Use this to check that all people in a group are safe after an incident.

Tras el ruido, todos preguntaron: ¿Todos están bien?
After the noise, everyone asked: Is everyone okay?
Hubo un choque; ¿todos están bien en tu coche?
There was a crash; is everyone okay in your car?

Por favor, no te muevas.

Please don't move.

Meaning: Please don't move.

When to use: Tell an injured person to stay still to avoid making injuries worse until help arrives.

Tip: Don’t say "no muevas" — use the reflexive/informal form "no te muevas" with friends.

Por favor, no te muevas. Llega la ambulancia en cinco minutos.
Please don't move. The ambulance arrives in five minutes.
Si estás lastimado, por favor, no te muevas hasta que revise un médico.
If you're injured, please don't move until a medic checks you.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Street corner — someone fell and can’t breathe

Anna and David exchange short Spanish lines: saying there is an emergency, someone is hurt, and calling for help.

What is the main problem Anna reports?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Es una emergencia.

This is an emergency.

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

¿Qué pasó?

What happened?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Alguien está herido y no puedo respirar.

Someone is hurt and can't breathe.

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Por favor, no te muevas. Voy a llamar a emergencias.

Please don't move. I'll call emergency services.

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

¿Puedes llamar a mi mamá? Por favor, quédate conmigo.

Can you call my mom? Please stay with me.

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Sí, ya llamo. Respira despacio.

Yes, I'm calling now. Breathe slowly.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

How do you say 'I need help right now' in Spanish?

Which Spanish phrase asks for someone to call emergency services?

Which phrase would you use to report a fire?

If someone says 'No puedo respirar', what is the best immediate response in Spanish?

There is a fire in the kitchen. Please call emergency services.

Hay fuego en la cocina. ___

I'm with someone who can't breathe. I need help right now.

Estoy con alguien que no puede respirar. ___

Someone is hurt. I'm going to ask the group: Is everyone okay?

Alguien está herido. Voy a preguntar al grupo: ___

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:

Es una emergencia.

This is an emergency.

Say this phrase out loud:

Necesito ayuda ahora mismo.

I need help right now.

Say this phrase out loud:

Por favor, llama a emergencias.

Please call emergency services.

Say this phrase out loud:

Alguien está herido.

Someone is hurt.

Say this phrase out loud:

Hay un incendio.

There is a fire.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Dónde está el hospital más cercano?

Where is the nearest hospital?

Say this phrase out loud:

No me siento a salvo.

I don't feel safe.

Say this phrase out loud:

Por favor, quédate conmigo.

Please stay with me.

Say this phrase out loud:

No puedo respirar.

I can't breathe.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Puedes llamar a mi ___?

Can you call my ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Te lastimaste?

Are you hurt?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Todos están bien?

Is everyone okay?

Say this phrase out loud:

Por favor, no te muevas.

Please don't move.