Emergencies and Health

Nobody wants to have an emergency while travelling, but being prepared with the right vocabulary can make a critical difference. This lesson covers emergency phrases, health vocabulary, visiting a pharmacy or doctor, and important safety information for Spanish-speaking countries.

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Emergency Phrases

These are the most important phrases to know. Memorise them before you travel.

Spanish	English
¡Ayuda!	Help!
¡Socorro!	Help! (more urgent)
¡Llame a una ambulancia!	Call an ambulance!
¡Llame a la policía!	Call the police!
¡Llame a los bomberos!	Call the fire brigade!
¡Es una emergencia!	It is an emergency!
¡Fuego!	Fire!
¡Cuidado!	Be careful! / Watch out!
¡Para! / ¡Pare!	Stop!
¡Ladrón!	Thief!
Necesito ayuda.	I need help.
Ha habido un accidente.	There has been an accident.
Alguien está herido.	Someone is injured.

Important: Stay calm and speak clearly. Even if your Spanish is not perfect, emergency responders will understand key words like ambulancia, policía, accidente, and emergencia.

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Emergency Numbers

Country	Emergency Number	Notes
Spain	112	Universal emergency number
Mexico	911	National emergency number
Argentina	107 (medical), 911 (police)	Separate numbers
Colombia	123	Universal emergency number
Chile	131 (medical), 133 (police)	Separate numbers
Peru	105 (police), 116 (fire)	Separate numbers
Cuba	106 (police), 104 (medical)	Separate numbers
Costa Rica	911	Universal emergency number
European Union	112	Works in Spain and across the EU

Tip: Save the local emergency number in your phone before you travel. In many countries, 112 also works even if it is not the primary number.

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At the Doctor / Health Centre

Describing Symptoms

Spanish	English
Me siento mal.	I feel unwell.
Me duele la cabeza.	My head hurts. / I have a headache.
Me duele el estómago.	My stomach hurts.
Me duele la garganta.	My throat hurts.
Me duele la espalda.	My back hurts.
Me duelen las piernas.	My legs hurt.
Tengo fiebre.	I have a fever.
Tengo tos.	I have a cough.
Tengo gripe.	I have the flu.
Tengo diarrea.	I have diarrhoea.
Tengo náuseas. / Tengo ganas de vomitar.	I feel nauseous.
Me he quemado con el sol.	I have sunburn.
Me he torcido el tobillo.	I have twisted my ankle.
Me he cortado.	I have cut myself.
Me ha picado un insecto.	An insect has bitten me.
Soy alérgico/a a...	I am allergic to...
Estoy embarazada.	I am pregnant.
Tomo esta medicación.	I take this medication.

Body Parts

Spanish	English
la cabeza	the head
el ojo / los ojos	the eye / eyes
el oído / la oreja	the (inner) ear / the (outer) ear
la nariz	the nose
la boca	the mouth
la garganta	the throat
el pecho	the chest
el estómago	the stomach
la espalda	the back
el brazo	the arm
la mano	the hand
el dedo	the finger
la pierna	the leg
la rodilla	the knee
el pie	the foot
el tobillo	the ankle

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Dialogue: At the Doctor