Emergency

1. Pomoć!

   Help!

   Usage

   Crying out for help in an emergency situation

   Grammar Note

   "Pomoć!" is used as an exclamation. "Pomozite mi!" also means "Help me!"

2. Zovite hitnu pomoć!

   Call an ambulance!

   Usage

   Requesting an ambulance in a medical emergency

   Grammar Note

   "hitna pomoć" = emergency medical service (ambulance). The direct ambulance line is 194, or 112. Police: "policija" (dial 192)

3. Zovite policiju!

   Call the police!

   Usage

   Requesting police assistance in a dangerous situation

   Grammar Note

   Croatian emergency numbers: police 192, fire 193, ambulance 194. The EU-wide 112 reaches every service

4. Ukrali su mi novčanik

   My wallet was stolen

   Usage

   Reporting a theft to police or bystanders

   Grammar Note

   Croatian uses "someone stole from me" construction. Passport: "putovnica", Phone: "mobitel"

5. Trebam liječnika

   I need a doctor

   Usage

   Requesting medical help when ill or injured

   Grammar Note

   "trebati" (to need) takes the accusative. "liječnika" is the accusative of "liječnik"; for animate masculine nouns it looks the same as the genitive

6. Gdje je najbliža bolnica?

   Where is the nearest hospital?

   Usage

   Looking for the nearest hospital in an emergency

   Grammar Note

   "najbliža" is feminine superlative agreeing with "bolnica" (feminine noun). Pharmacy: "ljekarnica"

7. Alergičan sam na penicilin

   I am allergic to penicillin

   Usage

   Informing medical staff about a drug allergy (masculine form)

   Grammar Note

   Feminine form: "Alergična sam na penicilin". English is often understood in medical settings

8. Izgubio sam putovnicu

   I lost my passport

   Usage

   Reporting a lost passport to police or embassy (masculine form)

   Grammar Note

   Feminine: "Izgubila sam putovnicu". Japanese Embassy in Croatia: "Japansko veleposlanstvo"

9. Boli me ovdje

   It hurts here

   Usage

   Telling a doctor or medical staff where the pain is

   Grammar Note

   "boli" is the third person singular of "boljeti" (to hurt). Point to the area while saying this for clarity

10. Trebam kontaktirati veleposlanstvo

    I need to contact the embassy

    Usage

    Requesting help to contact your country's embassy

    Grammar Note

    "veleposlanstvo" is the Croatian word for embassy. "konzulat" (consulate) is also useful to know

11. Prestanite!

    Stop it!

    Usage

    A flat refusal to a pushy tout, a follower, or unwanted contact. The point is that you can show it on screen without saying a word

    Grammar Note

    Polite-form (Vi) imperative, but unmistakably a hard refusal. To call for bystanders, use "Pomozite!"

12. Ne dirajte me!

    Don't touch me!

    Usage

    Refuses physical contact outright; for someone touching your belongings, "Ne dirajte moje stvari!"

    Grammar Note

    "Ne" plus the polite imperative forms a prohibition; "me" is the accusative "me"

13. Pokraden sam

    I've been robbed

    Usage

    Report a theft to the police or your hotel; an insurance claim needs the police report ("policijska prijava")

    Grammar Note

    Masculine form; a female speaker says "Pokradena sam". For a specific item: "Ukrali su mi torbu" (they stole my bag)

14. Izgubio sam se

    I'm lost

    Usage

    Says you are lost; show it together with a map or your hotel's address

    Grammar Note

    Masculine form; a female speaker says "Izgubila sam se". Losing an object drops the reflexive "se": "Izgubio sam putovnicu" (I lost my passport)

15. Požar

    Fire

    Usage

    The word for a fire burning a building or forest; point at it to report one

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun, plural "požari". Fire as an element is "vatra"; "požar" is a fire as a disaster

16. Lopov

    Thief

    Usage

    Point at this to say that someone has stolen from you

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun, plural "lopovi"; synonyms are "kradljivac" and "tat"

17. Razbojništvo

    Robbery

    Usage

    Taking property by force or threat; this is the offence name in the Croatian criminal code

    Grammar Note

    Neuter noun. Article 230 of the Kazneni zakon is headed "Razbojništvo". The everyday word "pljačka" also covers plunder in general, so this is the precise offence name

18. Džeparoš

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    The thief who lifts things out of pockets

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun formed from "džep" (pocket); a synonym is "džepokradica"

19. Otmica

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Carrying a person off by force; a hijacking is also "otmica aviona"

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun. Article 137 of the Kazneni zakon is headed "Otmica"

20. Požar! Bježite!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Used to alert others to a fire and tell them to get out

    Grammar Note

    "Požar" means fire. "Bježite" is the polite imperative of "bježati" (to move away quickly from a place of danger); the -ite ending marks the polite/plural imperative

21. Lopov! Uhvatite ga!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Used to call on bystanders when you catch someone stealing

    Grammar Note

    "Lopov" means thief. "Uhvatite" is the polite imperative of "uhvatiti" (to hold someone by force so they cannot escape); the -ite ending marks the polite/plural imperative. "ga" is the accusative clitic "him"

22. Zovite vatrogasce!

    Call the firefighters!

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to summon the fire service; the emergency number is 112

    Grammar Note

    The "Zovite + accusative" pattern. Croatian calls the firefighters (vatrogasci) rather than the engine; "vatrogas-" is also the root of "vatrogasno vozilo" (fire engine)

23. Gdje je policijska postaja?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Used to ask the way to a police station, e.g. to report a crime

    Grammar Note

    The "Gdje je + noun phrase?" pattern. "Policijska postaja" is a police station (Croatian prefers "postaja" to "stanica")

24. Govori li netko japanski?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Used to look for someone who can interpret when you cannot make yourself understood

    Grammar Note

    The "verb + question particle li + language" pattern in the 3rd person singular, with "netko" (anyone) as the subject. "Japanski" is the adjective from the same root as "Japanac" (a Japanese person) and also names the language

25. Ova osoba je bez svijesti

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Used to tell paramedics or bystanders that someone has passed out

    Grammar Note

    "Ova …" is the demonstrative "this". "Svijest" is consciousness, the normal state of the senses working and reacting to the outside world, with "nesvijest" as its opposite

26. Netko se utapa!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Used to raise the alarm when you see someone in the water

    Grammar Note

    "Netko" (someone) is an indefinite pronoun of the same -tko series as "svatko". "Utapati se" is the imperfective of "utopiti se" (to lose one's life in water)

27. Pretučen sam

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Used to report an assault to the police or to medical staff

    Grammar Note

    The "passive participle + sam" pattern. "Pretući" means to beat badly. A female speaker says "Pretučena sam"

28. Izboden sam

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Used to tell paramedics or police that you have been stabbed

    Grammar Note

    The "passive participle + sam" pattern. "Izbosti" means to stab repeatedly in several places. A female speaker says "Izbodena sam"

29. Provalili su mi u sobu

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Used to report to police or hotel staff that your room was broken into while you were out

    Grammar Note

    The "3rd person plural past + su + dative mi" pattern, where the victim appears in the dative. "Sobu" is the accusative of "soba" (room). "Provaliti" means to commit a break-in

30. Ta osoba je krivac

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Used to point out the offender to the police

    Grammar Note

    "Osoba" means person. "Krívac" is one who is guilty of something, or who has been found guilty of a given act by a court (the adjective is "kriv")

31. Prevaren sam

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Used to report a scam or a rip-off to the police

    Grammar Note

    The "passive participle + sam" pattern. "Prevariti" means to commit a fraud, to lead someone into error deliberately. A female speaker says "Prevarena sam"

32. Zaboravio sam nešto

    I forgot something

    Usage

    Used to tell shop or station staff that you have left something behind

    Grammar Note

    The "-io sam + accusative" pattern, with "nešto" (something). "Zaboraviti" can mean leaving something behind out of carelessness or distraction. A female speaker says "Zaboravila sam"

33. Udario me auto

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Used to report that a car has hit you

    Grammar Note

    "Auto" means car. "Udariti" means to strike someone a blow, to hit. The past participle agrees with the subject "auto" (masculine), so it does not change with the speaker's gender

34. Bježite kroz izlaz u slučaju opasnosti!

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Used to direct others to the escape route in a fire or other emergency

    Grammar Note

    "Izlaz u slučaju opasnosti" is the wording on emergency-exit signs. The -ite ending of "Bježite" marks the polite imperative. "Kroz" (through) means from one end to the other and governs the accusative

35. Pazite!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Used to warn someone of immediate danger

    Grammar Note

    The verb "pazite" (be careful) used on its own as a warning with no object. To strangers one politely says "oprez, pazite"

36. Požurite, molim vas

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Used to ask emergency services or anyone else to move quickly

    Grammar Note

    The "polite imperative + molim vas" pattern. "Požuriti" means to ask someone to be quicker and, reflexively, to hurry

37. Dođite odmah, molim vas

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to come immediately in an emergency

    Grammar Note

    The "polite imperative + molim vas" pattern. "Doći" means to arrive at a destination by moving, and "odmah" means at once

38. Hitno je

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    Used on the phone or at a counter to say that the situation is urgent

    Grammar Note

    "Hitn-" is the adjective root also found in "Hitna pomoć" (emergency aid). The sentence is impersonal with no subject, so the adjective takes the neuter form "hitno"

39. Odvedite me u bolnicu, molim vas

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    Used to ask a taxi driver or a passer-by to take you to a hospital

    Grammar Note

    The "polite imperative + molim vas" pattern, with the -ite ending of the polite imperative. "Bolnic-" is "bolnica" (hospital), here in the accusative of direction "u bolnicu". "Odvesti" means to take someone or something to a place

40. Trebam potvrdu o krađi

    I need a theft report

    Usage

    Used at a police station to ask for written proof of a theft, e.g. for an insurance claim

    Grammar Note

    The "Trebam + accusative" pattern with "potvrda" (certificate) in the accusative "potvrdu". "Krađa" is theft: taking what belongs to another without authority, unlawfully and immorally

41. Dogodila se prometna nesreća.

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

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

    Grammar Note

    The "Dogodila se + noun" (… happened) frame with "prometna", the feminine of the adjective "prometni" (traffic). "Prometna nesreća" is the most common term for a traffic accident; "prometni sudar" (collision) and "prometna nezgoda" are also used. "Nesreća" is feminine, hence "dogodila se"

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