Emergency phrases in Hindi
The phrases you hope never to need — calling for help, asking for a doctor, reporting theft, and finding your way — in clear Devanagari with pronunciation you can use under pressure.
An emergency is the worst moment to be fumbling for vocabulary, so this is a page worth skimming before you travel rather than during a crisis. The phrases below are the genuinely high-stakes ones: how to get a stranger's attention, summon medical help, involve the police, and explain that you're lost. They are written in Modern Standard Hindi, the form understood across most of north and central India.
In an emergency you can drop politeness without offending anyone — a shouted बचाओ! (bachaao!) is exactly right when seconds matter. For everything else, the polite imperative ending -इए (as in कीजिए, keejiye, "please do") keeps your request clear and respectful to whoever is helping you.
Calling for urgent help
Use these to get attention fast. बचाओ! is the cry people actually shout in danger; मदद कीजिए is the calmer "please help" you'd say to a passer-by.
| English | Hindi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! / Save me! | बचाओ! | bachaao! |
| Please help (me) | मदद कीजिए | madad keejiye |
| It's an emergency | यह आपात स्थिति है | yah aapaat sthiti hai |
| Quickly! / Hurry! | जल्दी! | jaldi! |
| Fire! | आग! | aag! |
| Watch out! / Careful! | सावधान! | saavdhaan! |
Medical emergencies
When someone is hurt or unwell, these get the right help moving. Lead with what you need, then the symptom.
| English | Hindi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I need a doctor | मुझे डॉक्टर चाहिए | mujhe doctor chaahiye |
| Please call an ambulance | एम्बुलेंस बुलाइए | ambulance bulaaiye |
| Where is the hospital? | अस्पताल कहाँ है? | aspataal kahaan hai? |
| I am sick / unwell | मैं बीमार हूँ | main beemaar hoon |
| It hurts here | यहाँ दर्द है | yahaan dard hai |
| Someone has had an accident | किसी का एक्सीडेंट हो गया है | kisi ka accident ho gaya hai |
| I need medicine | मुझे दवा चाहिए | mujhe dawa chaahiye |
Police, theft & trouble
For crimes and lost property. पुलिस को बुलाओ uses the informal command — fine to shout — while a calmer report to an officer can stay polite.
| English | Hindi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Call the police! | पुलिस को बुलाओ! | pulis ko bulaao! |
| My wallet has been stolen | मेरा बटुआ चोरी हो गया | mera batua chori ho gaya |
| My phone has been stolen | मेरा फ़ोन चोरी हो गया | mera phone chori ho gaya |
| Thief! / Stop, thief! | चोर! | chor! |
| Leave me alone | मुझे अकेला छोड़ दो | mujhe akela chhod do |
| Where is the police station? | पुलिस स्टेशन कहाँ है? | pulis station kahaan hai? |
| I want to file a report | मुझे रिपोर्ट लिखानी है | mujhe report likhaani hai |
Getting lost & finding your way
When you've lost your group, your route, or your hotel. Pair these with a landmark name for best results.
| English | Hindi | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| I am lost | मैं रास्ता भटक गया हूँ | main raasta bhatak gaya hoon |
| I can't find my way | मुझे रास्ता नहीं मिल रहा | mujhe raasta nahin mil raha |
| Where is this place? | यह जगह कहाँ है? | yah jagah kahaan hai? |
| Can you help me? | क्या आप मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं? | kya aap meri madad kar sakte hain? |
| I don't speak Hindi well | मुझे हिंदी ठीक से नहीं आती | mujhe hindi theek se nahin aati |
| Please call this number | कृपया इस नंबर पर कॉल कीजिए | kripya is number par call keejiye |
A note on staying calm and clear. If your Hindi is shaky, lead with the single most important word — डॉक्टर (doctor), पुलिस (pulis), मदद (madad, help) — and point. Most Indians in towns and cities understand at least some English, and English loanwords like doctor, ambulance, police, and accident are used in everyday Hindi exactly as written above, so you'll often be understood even if your grammar slips. The goal is to be understood, not to be elegant.
Translate your own emergency message
Need to spell out a specific medical condition, allergy, or address in Hindi? Type it here and keep it ready on your phone.