Emergency

1. Appi!

   AP-pi

   Help!

   Usage

   The most critical phrase to shout in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   Appi is the short illative of abi (help), used as a cry for help. The allative is a different form, "abile"

2. Helistage hädaabinumbrile 112

   HE-lis-ta-ge HÄ-da-a-bi-num-bri-le

   Call the emergency number 112

   Usage

   Estonia's emergency number is 112 for all services

   Grammar Note

   Hädaabinumber = häda (emergency) + abi (help) + number. Allative -le marks direction

3. Vajan arsti

   VA-jan ARS-ti

   I need a doctor

   Usage

   Essential phrase when you need medical attention

   Grammar Note

   Arsti is partitive of arst (doctor). Vajama (to need) takes partitive object

4. Kus on lähim haigla?

   kus on LÄ-him HAIG-la

   Where is the nearest hospital?

   Usage

   Find medical care quickly

   Grammar Note

   Haigla = haige (sick) + -la (place suffix). Estonia has a high-quality healthcare system

5. Olen penitsilliini suhtes allergiline

   O-len pe-ni-tsil-LII-ni SUH-tes al-LER-gi-li-ne

   I am allergic to penicillin

   Usage

   Inform medical staff of a drug allergy

   Grammar Note

   Suhtes is a postposition meaning "regarding/with respect to". Estonian uses postpositions

6. Mu pass on kadunud

   mu pass on KA-du-nud

   My passport is lost

   Usage

   Report a lost passport to police or your embassy

   Grammar Note

   Kadunud is past participle of kaduma (to disappear). On kadunud = present perfect

7. Mind on röövitud

   mind on RÖÖ-vi-tud

   I have been robbed

   Usage

   Report a robbery to the police

   Grammar Note

   Röövitud is passive past participle of röövima (to rob). On röövitud = passive perfect

8. Mul on tugev peavalu

   mul on TU-gev PEA-va-lu

   I have a severe headache

   Usage

   Describe symptoms to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   Peavalu = pea (head) + valu (pain). Symptoms expressed with mul on (I have)

9. Vajan tõlki

   VA-jan TÕL-ki

   I need an interpreter

   Usage

   Request an interpreter at police stations or hospitals

   Grammar Note

   Tõlki is partitive of tõlk (interpreter). Vajama (need) takes partitive object

10. Kus on Eesti saatkond?

    kus on EES-ti SAAT-kond

    Where is the Estonian embassy?

    Usage

    Find the embassy for emergency consular assistance

    Grammar Note

    Saatkond = saat (envoy) + kond (group/body). Eesti is Estonia's official name

11. Lõpetage!

    LÕ-pe-ta-ge

    Stop it!

    Usage

    Silently shut down harassment or a pushy tout; the bluntness is intentional

12. Ärge puutuge mind!

    ÄR-ge PUU-tu-ge mind

    Do not touch me!

    Usage

    Refuse physical contact; showing the screen is enough

13. Kutsuge politsei!

    KUT-su-ge PO-lit-sei

    Call the police!

    Usage

    Ask bystanders to call the police; the emergency number is 112

14. Mu asjad varastati

    mu AS-jad VA-ras-ta-ti

    My things were stolen

    Usage

    Report a theft to the police or hotel staff

15. tulekahju

    TU-le-kah-ju

    Fire

    Usage

    A fire that is out of control; fire for cooking or light is "tuli"

16. varas

    VA-ras

    Thief

    Usage

    The person who steals; the act is "vargus" (the offence in Penal Code § 199)

17. röövimine

    RÖÖ-vi-mi-ne

    Robbery

    Usage

    Taking property by violence or threat — the offence in Penal Code § 200; theft without violence is "vargus"

18. taskuvaras

    TAS-ku-va-ras

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    Someone who steals from bags and pockets in public; tasku (pocket) + varas (thief)

19. inimrööv

    I-nim-rööv

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Taking a person's freedom by violence or threats; taking a hostage is Penal Code § 135 "Pantvangi võtmine"

20. mõrv

    Murder

    Usage

    The offence in Penal Code § 114; killing without those aggravating circumstances is § 113 "Tapmine"

21. rahutused

    RA-hu-tu-sed

    Riot

    Usage

    Always plural in this sense — the singular "rahutus" means unease; the statutory offence is "massiline korratus"

22. pomm

    Bomb

    Usage

    The explosive device itself; the same word also names a clock weight or a kettlebell, but in an emergency context it reads as the explosive

23. Tulekahju! Jookske välja!

    TU-le-kah-ju JOOKS-ke VÄL-ja

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Shout this to warn the people around you and send them outside when a fire breaks out

    Grammar Note

    "Tulekahju" (fire) followed by the plural imperative of "jooksma" (to run) and the directional adverb "välja" (out); -ge/-ke is the plural imperative ending

24. Varas! Pidage kinni!

    VA-ras PI-da-ge KIN-ni

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Shout this right after a theft to ask bystanders to stop the thief

    Grammar Note

    "Varas" (thief) plus the plural imperative of "kinni pidama" (to detain)

25. Kutsuge tuletõrjeauto!

    KUT-su-ge TU-le-tõr-je-au-to

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

    Ask bystanders to call the fire brigade; the emergency number is 112

    Grammar Note

    The total object of an imperative ("tuletõrjeauto") stands in the nominative

26. Kus on politseijaoskond?

    kus on PO-lit-sei-jaos-kond

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Ask the way to the police station where you can file a report

    Grammar Note

    "Politseijaoskond" is politsei (police) + jaoskond (district branch); the force itself is "politsei"

27. Sooviksin kuriteoteate esitada.

    SOO-vik-sin KU-ri-teo-tea-te E-si-ta-da

    I want to file a report

    Usage

    Show this at a police counter after a theft to say you want to file a report; the copy of this report is what an insurer asks for. The sentence itself does not name the theft, so say or mime that part

    Grammar Note

    A "Sooviksin + genitive object + esitada" frame. A "kuriteoteade" is the crime report filed with the investigating authority, and it is the victim who files it; as a total object it takes the genitive "kuriteoteate"

28. Kas keegi räägib jaapani keelt?

    kas KEE-gi RÄÄ-gib JAA-pa-ni keelt

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Ask at a police or hospital counter whether anyone there speaks Japanese

    Grammar Note

    A "Kas + rääkima + language + keelt (partitive)" frame, with the subject "keegi" (someone) and the language Japanese

29. See inimene on teadvusetu

    see I-ni-me-ne on TEAD-vu-se-tu

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Tell paramedics or bystanders the condition of a person who has collapsed

    Grammar Note

    A "See + noun + predicate" frame; "teadvusetu" is teadvus (consciousness) + -tu (without)

30. Inimene upub!

    I-ni-me-ne U-pub

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Raise the alarm when you see someone going under at the waterside

    Grammar Note

    "Inimene" (person) as the subject of the third-person present of "uppuma" (to drown); colloquially the subject is often "keegi" (someone): "Keegi upub!"

31. Mind on pekstud

    mind on PEKS-tud

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Report being assaulted to the police or to medical staff

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal perfect, with the impersonal past participle of "peksma" (to beat)

32. Mind on pussitatud

    mind on PUS-si-ta-tud

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Report having been stabbed; point to the wound as well if you are bleeding

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal perfect; "pussitama" comes from "puss" (knife) and means to wound or kill someone by striking with a knife

33. Mu tuppa murti sisse

    mu TUP-pa MUR-ti SIS-se

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Tell hotel staff or the police that your room was entered while you were out

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal past; "sisse murdma" (to break in) takes the place entered in the illative

34. Too inimene on süüdlane

    too I-ni-me-ne on SÜÜD-la-ne

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Point out the offender to the police; be sure you are pointing at the right person

    Grammar Note

    The demonstrative "too" (that) with "inimene" (person) as subject, and "süüdlane" — the person who committed a harmful or improper act — as predicate

35. Mind on petetud

    mind on PE-te-tud

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Report a scam or being overcharged

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal perfect; "petma" means to deliberately mislead someone or cause them financial loss by dishonest means

36. Mu rahakott varastati

    mu RA-ha-kott VA-ras-ta-ti

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Show this when reporting a stolen wallet to the police or hotel staff

    Grammar Note

    An impersonal past; the stolen item is "rahakott" (wallet)

37. Ma unustasin oma asjad

    ma U-nus-ta-sin O-ma AS-jad

    I forgot my things

    Usage

    Say that you left your belongings in a shop or a vehicle; show a photo of the item as well

    Grammar Note

    "Asjad" (belongings) and "oma" (one's own) combined with the first person past of "unustama" (to leave behind by mistake)

38. Auto sõitis mulle otsa

    AU-to SÕI-tis MUL-le OT-sa

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Tell paramedics or the police that a car hit you

    Grammar Note

    "Otsa sõitma" (to run into someone) puts the victim in the allative

39. Palun väljuge varuväljapääsust

    PA-lun VÄL-ju-ge VA-ru-väl-ja-pää-sust

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Direct the people around you to the emergency exit in a fire or a blackout

    Grammar Note

    "Varuväljapääs" (emergency exit) in the elative; "väljuma" means going out of a room or vehicle, and it takes the point of departure in the elative

40. Ettevaatust!

    ET-te-vaa-tust

    Watch out!

    Usage

    A one-word warning that there is danger right there

    Grammar Note

    An invariable word, a warning to make someone notice danger, as in "Ettevaatust, auto tuleb!"; it shares its root with "ettevaatlik" (careful)

41. Palun kiirustage

    PA-lun KII-rus-ta-ge

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Tell the other person that this is urgent, for instance while waiting for an ambulance or the police

    Grammar Note

    A "Palun + plural imperative" frame, with the verb "kiirustama" (to hurry)

42. Tulge kohe!

    TUL-ge KO-he

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Ask someone on the phone or in person to come at once

    Grammar Note

    "Kohe" (right away) after the plural imperative of "tulema" (to come)

43. Palun viige mind haiglasse

    PA-lun VII-ge mind HAIG-las-se

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    Ask to be taken to hospital when you cannot get there yourself

    Grammar Note

    The destination is the illative of "haigla" (hospital)

44. Liiklusõnnetus juhtus

    LIIK-lus-õn-ne-tus JUH-tus

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Tell 112 or the people around you that a road accident has happened

    Grammar Note

    "Liiklusõnnetus" (traffic accident) is a compound of "liiklus" (traffic) + "õnnetus" (accident). "Juhtus" is the past tense of "juhtuma" (to happen), so "Õnnetus juhtus" means "An accident happened"

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