Emergency

1. Laguntza!

   La-gun-tza!

   Help!

   Usage

   Shouted loudly when needing immediate help in danger

   Grammar Note

   "Laguntza" is a noun meaning "help / assistance"; the single word works as a cry for help

2. Poliziari deitu mesedez

   Po-li-zi-a-ri dei-tu me-se-dez

   Please call the police

   Usage

   Used when police intervention is needed in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   "Deitu" (to call) takes the person called in the dative ("Poliziari" = to the police). "Mesedez" means "please"

3. Ospitalea non dago?

   Os-pi-ta-le-a non da-go?

   Where is the hospital?

   Usage

   Asking for the hospital location in case of illness or injury

   Grammar Note

   "non dago" is the standard pattern for asking where something is located

4. Galduta nago

   Gal-du-ta na-go

   I am lost

   Usage

   Said when you have lost your way and need directions

   Grammar Note

   "galduta nago" expresses a resultant state: "I am in a lost state"

5. Anbulantzia behar dut

   An-bu-lan-tzia be-har dut

   I need an ambulance

   Usage

   Requesting an ambulance for a serious injury or illness

   Grammar Note

   "behar dut" is a basic construction meaning "I need"

6. Nire zorroa lapurtu didate.

   Ni-re zor-ro-a la-pur-tu di-da-te.

   My wallet has been stolen.

   Usage

   Reporting a theft to police

   Grammar Note

   "didate" encodes "they to me" — Basque verbs integrate subject and object agreement in a single form

7. Su hartu du! Ihes egin!

   Su har-tu du! I-hes e-gin!

   It's on fire! Run!

   Usage

   Warning others about a fire and urging evacuation

   Grammar Note

   "su hartu" (catch fire) = "su" (fire) + "hartu" (take/catch) — an idiomatic expression for fire

8. Itzultzaile bat behar dut.

   It-zul-tzai-le bat be-har dut.

   I need an interpreter.

   Usage

   Requesting an interpreter in an emergency situation

   Grammar Note

   "itzultzaile" = "itzuli" (translate/return) + "-tzaile" (agent suffix). A typical Basque occupational noun

9. Burukomina dut.

   Bu-ru-ko-mi-na dut.

   I have a headache.

   Usage

   Describing a headache to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   "buruko mina" = "buru" (head) + "-ko" (genitive) + "mina" (pain). "-ko" marks possession/origin

10. Non dago farmazia hurbilena?

    Non da-go far-ma-zia hur-bi-le-na?

    Where is the nearest pharmacy?

    Usage

    Finding the nearest pharmacy to buy medicine

    Grammar Note

    "hurbilena" is the superlative of "hurbilagoa" (closer). Basque superlatives add "-(r)en/-ena" to comparatives

11. Utzi!

    Stop it

    Usage

    Lets you refuse firmly without raising your voice

12. Ez ukitu!

    Don't touch me

    Usage

    Show it as-is to a pushy tout or anyone unsafe

13. Poliziari deituko diot.

    I will call the police

    Usage

    Show it firmly against a scam or a threat

14. Alde egin!

    Get away from me

    Usage

    For when someone will not leave you alone

15. lapurra

    Thief

    Usage

    Show it to point out the person who stole from you

16. lapurreta

    Robbery

    Usage

    Robbery of a shop or bank; point at it when reporting the crime

17. zorro-lapurra

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    The pickpocket himself; "zorro" is a purse or wallet

18. bahiketa

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Kidnapping a person; the same word covers hijacking a plane or vehicle

19. hilketa

    Murder

    Usage

    Murder; point at it when reporting or calling it in

20. istilua

    Riot

    Usage

    A violent disturbance by a crowd, as in "1981eko Brixtongo istilua"

21. bonba

    Bomb

    Usage

    A bomb; a car bomb is "bonba-auto"

22. Lapurra! Harrapatu!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Shouted to call bystanders for help right after a theft

23. Suhiltzaileei deitu mesedez.

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

    Asks someone to call out a fire engine; the emergency number is 112

    Grammar Note

    The "dative + deitu + mesedez" pattern; the people called, "suhiltzaileak" (firefighters), take the dative plural -ei

24. Non dago polizia-etxea?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The "Non dago …?" frame; "polizia-etxe" is a compound of "polizia" (police) and "etxe" (house, building)

25. Lapurreta bat salatu nahi dut.

    I want to report a theft

    Usage

    Used at a police station to report a theft; the paperwork an insurer needs comes from this report

    Grammar Note

    The "… nahi dut" frame with "lapurreta salatu" (to report a theft)

26. Ba al dago japoniera hitz egiten duen norbait?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Show this at a hospital or police station to look for a Japanese speaker

    Grammar Note

    The "Ba al dago …?" frame with "hitz egin" (to speak) turned into a relative clause

27. Pertsona honek konortea galdu du.

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Show this to emergency services when someone has collapsed

    Grammar Note

    A transitive perfect. A transitive subject takes the ergative -k, so "pertsona hau" becomes "pertsona honek"

28. Norbait itotzen ari da!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Raises the alarm when someone is drowning at sea, in a river or in a pool

    Grammar Note

    The "…tzen ari izan" progressive with "ito" (to drown)

29. Jo egin naute.

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Tells police or a doctor that you were assaulted

    Grammar Note

    A "verb + egin + auxiliary" emphatic pattern. The auxiliary "naute" means "they … me", so the victim can report the act without naming the attacker

30. Sastakatu egin naute.

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Reports a stab wound

    Grammar Note

    The "verb + egin + naute" pattern with "sastakatu" (to stab)

31. Nire gelan lapurreta egin dute.

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Reports to a hotel or the police that your room was broken into while you were out

    Grammar Note

    Combines "lapurreta" (theft) with the verb "egin"; the clause is transitive, so the auxiliary is "dute" (they … it)

32. Pertsona hori erruduna da.

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Point at the offender while showing this to the police

    Grammar Note

    A "subject + complement + da" copular sentence. A copular subject takes no ergative -k

33. Engainatu egin naute.

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Used when reporting a scam or being overcharged

34. Nire poltsa ahaztu zait.

    I forgot my bag.

    Usage

    Says that you left your bag behind in a shop or on a vehicle

    Grammar Note

    "Ahaztu" is a "zaio"-type verb: the forgetter goes in the dative, as in "gasaren giltza ixtea ahaztu zait". The word for bag is "poltsa"

35. Trafiko-istripu bat gertatu da.

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Reports that a traffic accident has happened

    Grammar Note

    Uses the "trafiko-" compounding with "istripu" (accident); "gertatu" is intransitive, so the auxiliary is "da"

36. Auto batek jo nau.

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Tells emergency services or police that a car hit you

    Grammar Note

    The verb "jo" (to hit). The clause is transitive, so the subject "auto bat" takes the ergative -k and the auxiliary is "nau" (it … me)

37. Ihes egin larrialdiko irteeratik.

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Directs people to the emergency exit

    Grammar Note

    Takes "Ihes egin" (to flee) and adds "Larrialdiko irteera" (emergency exit) in the ablative -tik ("through, from")

38. Mugi zaitez, mesedez.

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Asks emergency services to hurry

    Grammar Note

    The hurry-up imperative is "mugi zaitez!", closed politely with "mesedez". Note that "zaitez" takes the verb root ("mugi"), not the participle: the "mugitu" in "…mugitu zaitezke?" belongs to the potential "zaitezke" and cannot be carried over to the imperative "zaitez"

39. Etorri oraintxe, mesedez.

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Asks someone to come at once, on the phone or in person

40. Larrialdia da.

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    States that the situation is urgent, e.g. when you cannot wait your turn

41. Mesedez, eraman nazazu ospitalera.

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    Asks a taxi driver or a bystander to take you to hospital

    Grammar Note

    The "Mesedez, verb + nazazu" frame with "eraman" (to take) and "ospitale" (hospital) in the allative -ra

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