Emergency

1. Допоможіть!

   Do-po-mo-zhit!

   Help!

   Usage

   Used to call for help in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   The polite imperative of "допомогти" (to help). Ukraine’s emergency numbers are police 102, ambulance 103, fire 101 and the unified number 112. The 112 service expanded nationwide by the end of 2024; 101/102/103/104 remain available.

2. Викличте поліцію

   Vy-klych-te po-li-tsi-yu

   Call the police

   Usage

   Used to ask someone to call the police

   Grammar Note

   Polite imperative of "викликати" (to call). Swap "поліцію" with "швидку допомогу" (ambulance).

3. Відвезіть мене до лікарні

   Vid-ve-zit me-ne do li-kar-ni

   Take me to the hospital

   Usage

   Used when ill or injured to request transport to hospital

   Grammar Note

   Polite imperative of "відвезти" (to take by vehicle). "лікарня" takes genitive "лікарні" after "до".

4. Я загубив паспорт

   Ya za-hu-byv pas-port

   I have lost my passport

   Usage

   Used to report a lost passport to the police or embassy

   Grammar Note

   "загубити" past changes by gender: male "загубив", female "загубила". Swap "паспорт" with "гаманець" (wallet).

5. Я не розмовляю по-українськи

   Ya ne roz-mov-lya-yu po-u-kra-yins-ky

   I do not speak Ukrainian

   Usage

   Used to communicate a language barrier

   Grammar Note

   "по-українськи" = "in Ukrainian". Follow with "Є хтось, хто говорить японською?" (Anyone who speaks Japanese?).

6. Мені потрібен лікар

   Me-ni pot-ri-ben li-kar

   I need a doctor

   Usage

   Emergency phrase when medical attention is needed

   Grammar Note

   "потрібен" (needed, masculine) agrees with masculine "лікар". Dative "мені" (to me) takes the subject role — an impersonal structure.

7. Де найближча аптека?

   De nay-bly-zhcha ap-te-ka?

   Where is the nearest pharmacy?

   Usage

   Finding the nearest pharmacy for medicine

   Grammar Note

   Feminine superlative "найближча" agrees with feminine "аптека". "аптека" is from Greek "apothēkē", also the origin of English "apothecary".

8. У мене болить голова

   U me-ne bo-lyt ho-lo-va

   I have a headache

   Usage

   Telling a doctor or pharmacist about a headache

   Grammar Note

   Third person singular "болить" (hurts). Body part is the subject. Swap "голова" with "живіт" (stomach) or "горло" (throat).

9. Я застрахований / застрахована

   Ya zas-tra-kho-va-nyy / zas-tra-kho-va-na

   I have insurance (male/female)

   Usage

   Informing medical staff that you have health insurance

   Grammar Note

   Passive participle of "застрахувати" (to insure) changes with gender. Travel insurance is strongly recommended for Ukraine travel.

10. Де посольство Японії?

    De po-sol-stvo Ya-po-ni-yi?

    Where is the Japanese embassy?

    Usage

    Finding the Japanese embassy in an emergency such as passport loss

    Grammar Note

    "Японії" is the genitive of "Японія" (Japan). Swap for other countries: "посольство Канади" (Canadian embassy), "посольство США" (US embassy).

11. Припиніть!

    Prypynit!

    Stop it!

    Usage

    Shown without speaking to firmly refuse persistent touts or someone following you

12. Не чіпайте мене!

    Ne chipaite mene!

    Do not touch me!

    Usage

    Shown to reject unwanted physical contact; bystanders can read it too

13. Мене обікрали!

    Mene obikraly!

    I have been robbed!

    Usage

    Shown to police or bystanders to report a theft

14. Пожежа

    Pozhezha

    Fire

    Usage

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

15. Злодій

    Zlodii

    Thief

    Usage

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

16. Розбій

    Rozbii

    Robbery

    Usage

    For property taken by force or the threat of force; also used as an offence name in Ukraine

17. Грабіж

    Hrabizh

    Snatching

    Usage

    For a bag or phone openly snatched from you; a separate offence from violent "rozbii"

18. Кишеньковий злодій

    Kyshenkovyi zlodii

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    Names someone who lifts things from pockets and bags in a crowd; literally "pocket thief"

19. Викрадення людини

    Vykradennia liudyny

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Reports that a person has been taken away; also used as an offence name. On its own "vykradennia" also covers the taking of objects, so "liudyny" is added

20. Вбивство

    Vbyvstvo

    Murder

    Usage

    Reports that someone has been killed; a related expression is ("umysne vbyvstvo", intentional homicide)

21. Масові заворушення

    Masovi zavorushennia

    Riot

    Usage

    Reports street disorder involving violence and destruction; also used as an offence name in Ukraine

22. Бомба

    Bomba

    Bomb

    Usage

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

23. Пожежа! Біжіть!

    Pozhezha! Bizhit!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    "Пожежа" means fire; the polite "-іть" imperative has the same shape as "Допоможіть!".

24. Злодій! Тримайте його!

    Zlodii! Trymaite yoho!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Points at a fleeing thief and asks bystanders to hold him

    Grammar Note

    "Злодій" means thief; the polite "-айте" imperative has the shape of "Не чіпайте мене!". Ukrainian says "hold him" (тримати) rather than "catch him".

25. Викличте пожежну машину

    Vyklychte pozhezhnu mashynu

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The same frame as "Викличте поліцію". Nominative "Пожежна машина" takes the accusative "пожежну машину".

26. Де знаходиться відділення поліції?

    De znakhodytsia viddilennia politsii?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    "Де знаходиться X?" is the frame of «Де знаходиться доступний туалет?». Unlike "поліція" (the institution), "відділення поліції" names the building you are looking for.

27. Мені потрібна заява про крадіжку

    Meni potribna zaiava pro kradizhku

    I need a theft report

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The same frame as "Мені потрібна квитанція." "Заява" means application or statement, as in "подачі заяв"; "про крадіжку" takes the accusative. "Заява про крадіжку" is a theft report.

28. Чи є тут людина, яка говорить японською?

    Chy ye tut liudyna, yaka hovoryt yaponskoiu?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Looks for a Japanese speaker when you cannot make yourself understood

    Grammar Note

    Takes the frame of «Чи є тут лікар, який говорить англійською?» and swaps "лікар" for "людина" (the word in «Викрадення людини») and "англійською" for "японською" (the stem used in «Ви чудово говорите по-японськи»). "людина" is feminine, so the relative pronoun changes from "який" to "яка".

29. Ця людина без свідомості

    Tsia liudyna bez svidomosti

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    "людина" is the word in «Викрадення людини». Ukrainian states unconsciousness with "без" plus the genitive "свідомості" rather than with a verb.

30. Людина тоне!

    Liudyna tone!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Alerts people that someone is drowning in the water

    Grammar Note

    "людина" is the word in «Викрадення людини». The event is in progress, so the imperfective "тонути" in the present is used; the perfective "потонути" would mean the person has already drowned.

31. Мене побили

    Mene pobyly

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Reports to police or medical staff that you were assaulted

    Grammar Note

    Same frame as "Мене обікрали!" with the verb swapped. The subjectless 3rd person plural perfective past means "I was beaten" and does not change with the speaker's gender.

32. Мене вдарили ножем

    Mene vdaryly nozhem

    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 «Мене обікрали!». The instrument takes the instrumental case "ножем".

33. Мій номер обікрали

    Mii nomer obikraly

    My room was broken into

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    Takes "Мене обікрали!" and swaps the object for "номер" (hotel room), the word used in «Мені потрібен номер із доступним облаштуванням» and elsewhere.

34. Та людина — злочинець

    Ta liudyna — zlochynets

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Points out the person who committed the crime to the police

    Grammar Note

    "людина" is the word in «Викрадення людини». The demonstrative is the distal "та" (feminine of "той"), paired with the proximal "ця" (this). A Ukrainian nominal predicate takes no copula; a dash separates subject and predicate.

35. Мене обманули

    Mene obmanuly

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Reports that you have been cheated or defrauded

    Grammar Note

    Same frame as «Мене обікрали!». The verb appears as the imperfective "обманюй" in «Не обманюй мене»; here the event is completed, so the perfective past is used.

36. У мене вкрали гаманець

    U mene vkraly hamanets

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Reports a stolen wallet to the police or the hotel

    Grammar Note

    The verb shares its root with "Мене обікрали!" (красти, to steal) and the "У мене …" frame is that of «У мене висока температура». The 3rd person plural perfective past does not change with the speaker's gender.

37. Я забув свої речі

    Ya zabuv svoi rechi

    I left my things behind

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    Same frame as "Я забув свій PIN-код." with the object swapped for "речі" (belongings), the word used in «Коли будуть готові мої речі?». The past changes with the speaker's gender: a woman says "Я забула".

38. Мене збила машина

    Mene zbyla mashyna

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Tells responders or police that a car hit you

    Grammar Note

    The "Мене …" frame is that of «Мене обікрали!»; "машина" is the word in «Пожежна машина». The past "збила" agrees with the feminine noun "машина", not with the speaker's gender.

39. Виходьте через запасний вихід

    Vykhodte cherez zapasnyi vykhid

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    "Запасний вихід" means emergency exit, written "ЗАПАСНИЙ ВИХІД" on signs. "Виходити" (to go out) is the verb in "Я виходжу".

40. Обережно!

    Oberezhno!

    Watch out!

    Usage

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

41. Швидше, будь ласка

    Shvydshe, bud laska

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Asks for help or transport to be hurried

    Grammar Note

    The comparative of "швидкий / швидко" (the word in «Wi-Fi достатньо швидкий для відеодзвінків?»); on its own it urges someone to go faster. "будь ласка" is the word in «Будь ласка».

42. Приходьте швидше!

    Prykhodte shvydshe!

    Please come right away

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The verb "приходити / прийти" shares its root with "Я ще прийду." "швидше" is the comparative of "швидкий" («Wi-Fi достатньо швидкий для відеодзвінків?») and urges speed alongside the imperative.

43. Це терміново!

    Tse terminovo!

    It's an emergency

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The "Це …" predicate frame is that of "Це дуже розслаблює"; Ukrainian uses no copula here.

44. Сталася автомобільна аварія

    Stalasia avtomobilna avariia

    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 Ukraine is 112

    Grammar Note

    The verb "статися", as in "Стався нещасний випадок — викличте лижну рятувальну службу!", agrees with feminine "аварія" as "Сталася". "Автомобільна" is the adjective of "Автомобіль" (car). "Автомобільна аварія" is everyday wording; the official term is "дорожньо-транспортна пригода" (ДТП).

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