Emergency

1. Помогите!

   Po-mo-gi-te!

   Help!

   Usage

   Used to call for help in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   Perfective imperative of "помочь" (to help) with formal "-те". Russian emergency number: 112 (unified).

2. Вызовите полицию

   Vy-zo-vi-te po-li-tsi-yu

   Call the police

   Usage

   Used to ask someone to call the police

   Grammar Note

   Polite imperative of "вызвать" (to call/summon). "полиция" takes accusative "полицию". Swap with "скорую помощь" (ambulance).

3. Отвезите меня в больницу

   Ot-ve-zi-te me-nya v bol'-ni-tsu

   Take me to the hospital

   Usage

   Used when ill or injured to request transport to hospital

   Grammar Note

   Polite imperative of "отвезти" (to drive/take by vehicle). "в больницу" = "в" + accusative of "больница".

4. Я потерял паспорт

   Ya po-te-ryal pas-port

   I have lost my passport

   Usage

   Used to report a lost passport to the police or embassy

   Grammar Note

   "потерять" past form changes by gender: male "потерял", female "потеряла". Swap "паспорт" with "кошелёк" (wallet).

5. Я не говорю по-русски

   Ya ne go-vo-ryu po-rus-ski

   I do not speak Russian

   Usage

   Used to communicate a language barrier

   Grammar Note

   "по-русски" means "in Russian" (adverbial). Follow with "Есть кто-нибудь, кто говорит по-японски?" (Anyone who speaks Japanese?).

6. Вызовите скорую!

   Vy-zo-vi-te sko-ru-yu!

   Call an ambulance!

   Usage

   Requesting an ambulance in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   "Скорую" is accusative of colloquial "скорая" (short for скорая помощь = emergency aid). Emergency numbers: Police 102, Ambulance 103, Fire 101, Unified 112.

7. У меня украли паспорт

   U me-nya uk-ra-li pas-port

   My passport was stolen

   Usage

   Reporting a stolen passport to authorities

   Grammar Note

   "Украли" (3rd pl. impersonal) means "they stole" = "was stolen". This subjectless construction is a common Russian way to express passive meaning.

8. Мне плохо

   Mne plo-kho

   I feel sick / I am not well

   Usage

   Expressing that you feel unwell

   Grammar Note

   Dative subject "Мне" (to me) + predicate adverb "плохо" (badly) expresses feeling unwell. Russian commonly uses dative for experiencer subjects.

9. Где ближайшая аптека?

   Gde bli-zhay-sha-ya ap-te-ka?

   Where is the nearest pharmacy?

   Usage

   Looking for the nearest pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Ближайший" is superlative of "близкий" (near). "Аптека" from Greek "apotheka" is common across European languages. Russian pharmacies stock a wide range.

10. Я потерялся/потерялась

    Ya po-te-ryal-sya / po-te-rya-las'

    I am lost

    Usage

    Saying you are lost and need help

    Grammar Note

    Russian past tense agrees with speaker's gender: masculine "-ся", feminine "-сь". "Потеряться" (reflexive: to get lost) past tense.

11. Прекратите!

    Pre-kra-ti-te!

    Stop it!

    Usage

    Hold this up without speaking to make persistent touts or harassment stop; it is blunt on purpose

12. Не трогайте меня!

    Ne tro-gay-te me-nya!

    Do not touch me!

    Usage

    A clear refusal when someone touches you or your bags

13. Меня обокрали!

    Me-nya o-bo-kra-li!

    I have been robbed!

    Usage

    Reports a theft without naming what was taken; broader than "U menya ukrali pasport"

14. Пожар

    Po-zhar

    Fire

    Usage

    Says that an actual fire has broken out in a building or a vehicle

15. Вор

    Vor

    Thief

    Usage

    Names the person who stole; the offence itself is "krazha"

16. Разбой

    Raz-boy

    Robbery

    Usage

    For property taken by force or the threat of force; the offence named in Article 162 of the Russian Criminal Code

17. Грабёж

    Gra-byozh

    Snatching

    Usage

    For a bag or phone openly snatched from you; Article 161 of the Russian Criminal Code, a separate article from violent "razboy"

18. Карманник

    Kar-man-nik

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    Names someone who lifts things from pockets and bags in a crowd

19. Похищение человека

    Po-khi-shche-ni-ye che-lo-ve-ka

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Reports that a person has been taken away; Article 126 of the Russian Criminal Code. On its own "pokhishcheniye" can also mean the theft of objects, so "cheloveka" is added

20. Убийство

    U-biy-stvo

    Murder

    Usage

    Reports that someone has been killed; the offence named in Article 105 of the Russian Criminal Code

21. Массовые беспорядки

    Mas-so-vy-ye bes-po-ryad-ki

    Riot

    Usage

    Reports street disorder involving violence and destruction; Article 212 of the Russian Criminal Code. "Besporyadki" alone can also mean mess or disarray

22. Бомба

    Bom-ba

    Bomb

    Usage

    For a bomb you have spotted or for reporting a bomb threat

23. Пожар! Бегите!

    Po-zhar! Be-gi-te!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Warns people that a fire has started and tells them to run

    Grammar Note

    Reuses "Пожар" (fire) from «Пожар»; the polite "-ите" imperative is the same shape as "Помогите!" («Помогите!»). "бежать" is imperfective, used to tell someone to start running now.

24. Вор! Держите его!

    Vor! Der-zhi-te ye-go!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Points at a fleeing thief and asks bystanders to hold him

    Grammar Note

    "Вор" (thief) comes from «Вор». "держать" (to hold, to keep) in the polite imperative with accusative "его"; Russian says "hold him" rather than "catch him".

25. Вызовите пожарную машину

    Vy-zo-vi-te po-zhar-nu-yu ma-shi-nu

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

    Asks someone at the scene of a fire to call a fire engine

    Grammar Note

    Same frame as "Вызовите полицию". The nominative "Пожарная машина" («Пожарная машина») takes the accusative form "пожарную машину".

26. Где находится полицейский участок?

    Gde na-kho-dit-sya po-li-tsey-skiy u-chas-tok?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Asks the way to a police station, e.g. to file a report

    Grammar Note

    "Где находится X?" is the frame of «Где находится туалет для инвалидов?». Unlike "полиция" (the institution), "полицейский участок" names the building or precinct, which is what you ask for here.

27. Мне нужно заявление о краже

    Mne nu-zhno za-yav-le-ni-ye o kra-zhe

    I need a theft report

    Usage

    Asks the police for the theft report you need for an insurance claim

    Grammar Note

    "Мне нужно …" (I need …) follows the pattern of "Мне нужно к врачу". Заявление means a statement or application, as in "Я хотел бы подать заявление на визу.". "О краже" is the prepositional case of кража (theft); заявление о краже is a theft report, distinct from справка, a certificate.

28. Есть ли здесь человек, говорящий по-японски?

    Yest' li zdes' che-lo-vek, go-vo-rya-shchiy po-ya-pon-ski?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Looks for a Japanese speaker when you cannot make yourself understood

    Grammar Note

    Takes the frame of «Есть ли здесь врач, говорящий по-английски?» and swaps "врач" for "человек" (the word in «Похищение человека») and "по-английски" for "по-японски" (the word in «Вы отлично говорите по-японски»).

29. Этот человек без сознания

    E-tot che-lo-vek bez so-zna-ni-ya

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Tells responders or bystanders that the person on the ground is unconscious

    Grammar Note

    "человек" is the word in «Похищение человека». Russian states unconsciousness with the preposition "без" plus the genitive "сознания" rather than with a verb.

30. Человек тонет!

    Che-lo-vek to-net!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Alerts people that someone is drowning in the water

    Grammar Note

    "человек" is the word in «Похищение человека». The event is still in progress, so the imperfective "тонуть" in the present is used; the perfective "утонуть" would mean the person has already drowned.

31. Меня избили

    Me-nya iz-bi-li

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Reports to police or medical staff that you were assaulted

    Grammar Note

    Same frame as "Меня обокрали!" with the verb swapped. The subjectless 3rd person plural perfective past means "they beat me" = "I was beaten", and does not change with the speaker's gender.

32. Меня ударили ножом

    Me-nya u-da-ri-li no-zhom

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Tells responders or police that you were stabbed with a knife

    Grammar Note

    Same 3rd person plural perfective past frame as «Меня обокрали!». The instrument is expressed with the instrumental case "ножом".

33. Мой номер обокрали

    Moy no-mer o-bo-kra-li

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Reports that your room was entered and robbed while you were out

    Grammar Note

    Takes "Меня обокрали!" and swaps the object for "номер" (hotel room), the word used in «Мне нужен номер с условиями для инвалидов.». "обокрасть" takes the robbed place or person in the accusative.

34. Тот человек — преступник

    Tot che-lo-vek — pre-stup-nik

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Points out the person who committed the crime to the police

    Grammar Note

    "человек" is the word in «Похищение человека». The demonstrative is the distal "тот", paired with the proximal "этот" (this). A Russian nominal predicate takes no copula; a dash separates subject and predicate.

35. Меня обманули

    Me-nya ob-ma-nu-li

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Reports that you have been cheated or defrauded

    Grammar Note

    Same frame as «Меня обокрали!». The verb appears as the imperfective "обманывай" in «Не обманывай меня / Не обдирай меня»; here the event is completed, so the perfective past is used.

36. У меня украли кошелёк

    U me-nya uk-ra-li ko-she-lyok

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Reports a stolen wallet to the police or the hotel

    Grammar Note

    Swaps the object in "У меня украли паспорт". "У меня украли X" is a subjectless 3rd person plural perfective past and does not change with the speaker's gender.

37. Я забыл свои вещи

    Ya za-byl svo-i ve-shchi

    I left my things behind

    Usage

    Says that you left your belongings behind in a shop or a vehicle

    Grammar Note

    Same "Я + past" frame as "Я заблудился". The past changes with the speaker's gender: a woman says "Я забыла", the same note «Я потерял паспорт» gives for "потерял / потеряла". "забыть" also means to leave something behind.

38. Меня сбила машина

    Me-nya sbi-la ma-shi-na

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Tells responders or police that a car hit you

    Grammar Note

    The "Меня …" frame is that of «Меня обокрали!»; "машина" is the word in «Пожарная машина». The past "сбила" agrees with the feminine noun "машина", not with the speaker's gender.

39. Выходите через запасный выход

    Vy-kho-di-te che-rez za-pas-nyy vy-khod

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Directs people to the emergency exit during a fire or a blackout

    Grammar Note

    Запасный выход means emergency exit; signs read "ЗАПАСНЫЙ ВЫХОД". Выходить (to go out) also appears in "На какой станции мне выходить?". The polite imperative ending -ите follows the pattern of "Помогите!".

40. Осторожно!

    Os-to-rozh-no!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Shouted to warn of immediate danger; also the word on warning signs

41. Быстрее, пожалуйста

    By-stre-ye, po-zha-luy-sta

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Asks for help or transport to be hurried

    Grammar Note

    The comparative of "быстрый / быстро" (the word in «Интернет слишком медленный — есть ли более быстрое подключение?»); on its own it urges someone to go faster. "пожалуйста" is the word in «Пожалуйста».

42. Приходите скорее!

    Pri-kho-di-te sko-re-ye!

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Asks someone, e.g. on the phone, to come at once

    Grammar Note

    The verb "приходить / прийти" is the word in "Я ещё приду". "скорее" shares its root with "скорую" in «Вызовите скорую!» and urges speed alongside the imperative.

43. Это срочно!

    E-to sroch-no!

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    Says that the matter cannot wait, e.g. in a queue or at a desk

    Grammar Note

    The "Это …" predicate frame is that of "Это замечательно!". "срочный / срочно" is the word used in "срочную стирку".

44. Произошла автомобильная авария

    Pro-i-zo-shla av-to-mo-bil'-na-ya a-va-ri-ya

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Report that a road accident has happened, to the emergency line or to bystanders. The single emergency number in Russia is 112

    Grammar Note

    Автомобильная is an adjective derived from автомобиль (car), also seen in "Прокат автомобилей" (car rental). Авария is feminine, so the past tense and adjective are feminine: "Произошла автомобильная авария". This is everyday wording; the official term for a traffic accident is "дорожно-транспортное происшествие" (ДТП).

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