Help and emergencies in Turkish
The words you hope to never need. Play the ten Turkish words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Turkish phrases in this lesson
- İmdat!eem-DAT
- Help!
- Doktor çağırındok-TOR chah-UH-run
- Call a doctor
- Polispo-LEES
- Police
- Eczaneej-ZAH-neh
- Pharmacy
- Hastanehas-tah-NEH
- Hospital
- Kayboldumkai-bol-DOOM
- I'm lost
- Kendimi iyi hissetmiyorumken-dee-MEE ee-YEE hees-set-mee-YOR-oom
- I don't feel well
- Çalındıcha-luhn-DUH
- It was stolen
- Acil duruma-JEEL doo-ROOM
- It's an emergency
- Beni rahat bırakınbeh-NEE ra-HAT buh-ra-KUHN
- Leave me alone
The emergency cry. "Yardım edin!" (yar-DUM eh-DEEN) is the calmer way to ask for help. Turks are notably quick to help strangers in visible distress.
The emergency number is 112 for ambulance, fire and police. Private hospitals in tourist areas usually have English-speaking staff.
Tourist police (Turizm Polisi) in major cities speak English and handle visitor complaints. Carry ID or a copy of your passport.
Pharmacists are highly trained and advise on minor issues without a prescription. Look for the red E sign. Night-duty pharmacies (nöbetçi eczane) are listed in the windows of all closed ones.
Private hospitals (özel hastane) often have international departments and faster service. The emergency department is "acil" (a-JEEL).
Literally "I got lost". Showing your phone with a map and asking "burada mı?" (is it here?) works anywhere.
At a pharmacy, point to where it hurts and say "ağrı var" (there is pain). For stomach trouble, "midem bozuldu" (my stomach is upset) is the phrase after adventurous eating.
Add the thing: "cüzdanım çalındı" (my wallet was stolen), "telefonum çalındı" (my phone). Report theft to the police for insurance purposes.
Acil on its own means urgent, and hospital emergency departments are "acil servis". Said honestly, it cuts through any queue.
Firm and polite. For pushy touts, a calm "istemiyorum" (I do not want it) and walking on usually ends it.