Help and emergencies in Urdu
The words you hope to never need. Play the ten Urdu 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 Urdu phrases in this lesson
- مدد کریں!ma-DAD ka-RAIN
- Help!
- ڈاکٹر کو بلائیںDAAK-tar ko bu-LAA-een
- Call a doctor
- پولیسpo-LEES
- Police
- دوائی کی دکانda-WAA-ee kee du-KAAN
- Pharmacy
- ہسپتالhas-pa-TAAL
- Hospital
- میں راستہ بھول گیاmein RAAS-ta BHOOL ga-YA
- I'm lost
- میری طبیعت ٹھیک نہیںmay-REE ta-BEE-yat THEEK na-HEEN
- I don't feel well
- چوری ہو گیاCHO-ree ho GA-ya
- It was stolen
- یہ ہنگامی صورت حال ہےyay han-GAA-mee SOO-rat haal hai
- It's an emergency
- مجھے اکیلا چھوڑ دیںmoo-JHAY a-KAY-laa chhor dain
- Leave me alone
Shout clearly and repeatedly. "Madad" means help. Pakistanis are generally very responsive to someone in distress. Bystanders will typically gather quickly and seek to assist.
"Doctor" is the same word in Urdu, borrowed from English. In cities, private hospitals like Aga Khan and Shaukat Khanum offer high-quality care. The Rescue 1122 number is the main emergency response service.
The emergency number for police in Pakistan is 15. "Police bulao" means "call the police." In Lahore, the Dolphin Force is a rapid-response unit reachable by the same number.
Literally "medicine shop." You may also hear "medical store," a common Urdu-English hybrid term used everywhere. Pharmacies in Pakistan dispense many medications without a prescription.
Government hospitals are free but overcrowded. Private hospitals offer faster service. In Lahore, Rescue 1122 provides ambulance service. Keep your hotel's recommended hospital number saved.
Literally "I have forgotten the way." Use "gayi" instead of "gaya" if you are a woman. Pakistanis are exceptionally helpful to lost travelers and will often personally escort you to your destination.
"Tabiyat" refers to health or physical condition. This phrase communicates that you are unwell in a way that will be immediately understood and acted upon. Pakistanis take a guest's health very seriously.
"Chori" means theft. Report theft to the local police station ("thana") to get an FIR (First Information Report), which you will need for insurance claims. Keep copies of your passport separately.