Emergency phrases: the most critical, life-saving expressions
We hope you never run into an emergency during your trip. Still, being prepared for any possibility is an important trait of a responsible traveler. This page lists the most essential words and phrases for medical help, calling the police, lost documents, and other urgent situations. We recommend reading this page carefully before your trip and, if needed, saving it on your phone.
Important numbers (Uzbekistan): The unified emergency service — 112. This number connects you to ambulance, fire, and police services.
1. The most essential emergency phrases
| Uzbek | English |
|---|---|
| Yordam bering! | Help! |
| Tez yordam chaqiring! | Call an ambulance! |
| Politsiyani chaqiring! | Call the police! |
| Yong'in! | Fire! |
| Xavfli! | Danger! |
| Menga yordam kerak | I need help |
| Bu shoshilinch holat | This is an emergency |
2. Asking for medical help
| Uzbek | English |
|---|---|
| Men kasalman | I am sick |
| Meni bu yer og'riyapti | It hurts here |
| Nafas ololmayapman | I can't breathe |
| Yiqilib tushdim | I fell down |
| Qon ketyapti | It's bleeding |
| Allergiyam bor | I have an allergy |
| Dorilarim kerak | I need my medication |
| Shifoxonaga olib boring | Take me to the hospital |
Full sentence: "Iltimos, tez yordam chaqiring, do'stim (hamrohim) yiqilib tushdi." — Please call an ambulance, my friend fell down.
3. Police-related phrases
| Uzbek | English |
|---|---|
| Pulim/hujjatlarim o'g'irlandi | My money/documents were stolen |
| Sumkam yo'qoldi | My bag is missing |
| Meni kimdir ta'qib qilyapti | Someone is following me |
| Avariyaga uchradim | I was in an accident |
| Guvoh bo'lishim kerakmi? | Do I need to be a witness? |
Police officer: Nima bo'ldi?
Traveler: Mening pulim va pasportim o'g'irlandi.
Police officer: Qachon va qayerda bo'ldi?
Traveler: Yarim soat oldin, bozorda.
Police officer: Yaxshi, ariza to'ldirishimiz kerak.
Elchixonangizga ham xabar bering.
(Police officer: What happened? — Traveler: My money and passport were stolen. — Police officer: When and where did it happen? — Traveler: Half an hour ago, at the market. — Police officer: Alright, we need to fill out a report. Also notify your embassy.)
4. Lost documents: what to do?
If your passport is lost or stolen, following these steps in order is recommended:
- Notify local police immediately and get an official report (spravka) — this document will be necessary for the following process.
- Contact your country's embassy or consulate — they'll help with the process of issuing a temporary document.
- If your bank cards are also lost, call your bank and block the cards.
- Having a digital or paper copy of your passport made in advance significantly speeds up this process.
| Uzbek | English |
|---|---|
| elchixona | embassy |
| konsullik | consulate |
| spravka (ma'lumotnoma) | official certificate/report |
| vaqtinchalik hujjat | temporary document |
5. Health and pharmacy words
| Uzbek | English |
|---|---|
| dorixona | pharmacy |
| dori | medicine |
| og'riq qoldiruvchi | painkiller |
| termometr | thermometer |
| bint | bandage |
| retsept | prescription |
Customer: Boshim og'riyapti, og'riq qoldiruvchi dori
bormi?
Pharmacist: Ha, mana, kuniga uch marta ichishingiz
mumkin.
(Customer: I have a headache, do you have a painkiller? — Pharmacist: Yes, here, you can take it three times a day.)
6. Natural disasters and other emergencies
| Uzbek | English |
|---|---|
| zilzila | earthquake |
| suv toshqini | flood |
| kuchli shamol | strong wind |
| evakuatsiya | evacuation |
Uzbekistan is located in a seismically active region, so it's useful to know what to do in an earthquake in advance: taking shelter under a sturdy door frame or table and moving to an open area as quickly as possible is recommended.
7. Fire safety
When checking into a hotel, it's recommended to know the emergency exits in advance:
| Uzbek | English |
|---|---|
| favqulodda chiqish | emergency exit |
| yong'in signalizatsiyasi | fire alarm |
| o't o'chirgich | fire extinguisher |
8. Getting lost or separated from a group
When traveling with a large group or family, especially in crowded markets, someone can get separated. Agreeing on a meeting point in advance and knowing the following phrases is useful:
"Men guruhimdan ajralib qoldim." — I got separated from my group.
"Bolam yo'qoldi!" — My child is lost!
"Menga eng yaqin ma'lumot markazi qayerda?" — Where is the nearest
information center?
When traveling with children, it's recommended to have your child memorize their name and the hotel's name, or write it on a small piece of paper and keep it in their pocket.
9. Contacting your embassy or consulate
For any serious emergency (lost documents, a serious legal problem, a serious medical situation), contacting your country's embassy is recommended. Before your trip, write down the address and phone number of your embassy in Uzbekistan — this way you'll have it on hand even without internet access.
10. Overcoming the language barrier: finding a translator
| Uzbek | English |
|---|---|
| tarjimon | translator/interpreter |
| Inglizcha gapiradigan kishi kerak | I need someone who speaks English |
| Tarjimon chaqira olasizmi? | Can you call a translator? |
In emergencies, translation apps on your phone (ones that also work offline) can be a big help. It's recommended to install such an app and download Uzbek offline before your trip.
11. Prevention: general safety recommendations
Most emergencies can be prevented in advance with precautions:
- Keep digital copies of your passport and important documents in the cloud (e.g., by emailing them to yourself).
- Arrange travel insurance in advance and read its terms.
- Write down embassy and local emergency service phone numbers in advance.
- Don't flaunt valuables, especially in crowded places.
- Keep someone (a family member or friend) informed of your daily itinerary.
12. Frequently asked questions
Does 112 work throughout Uzbekistan?
Yes, 112 is the unified emergency service number, working across the entire country, and connects you to ambulance, fire, and police services.
Is travel insurance required?
While not an official requirement, travel insurance is strongly recommended, since it provides financial protection for medical costs, lost luggage, and other unexpected situations.
What should I do if I can't communicate with a police officer?
Stay calm and speak slowly and clearly. Offer to use a translation app, or ask "Inglizcha gapiradigan kishi kerak" (I need someone who speaks English). If necessary, you can ask to call your embassy.
13. Conclusion
Knowing emergency phrases — even if you hope to never use them — helps you feel safer and more prepared. Review the key numbers, phrases, and steps on this page once before your trip, and if possible, print them out or save them on your phone.
14. Back to other travel pages
- Travel Phrases — general travel words.
- Airport Uzbek — airport-related phrases.
- Hotel Uzbek — hotel-related phrases.
- Restaurant Uzbek — dining-related phrases.
🗣️ Want to practice with a real person? Reading is a great start, but nothing builds real fluency like actual conversation. Find a native Uzbek tutor on italki and book a lesson at a time that works for you.