Gidai!
Help!
Usage
A cry for help. It is the plural imperative, so it calls on everyone within earshot
Grammar Note
Plural imperative -ai of gidar (to help). If it is not understood, add German Hilfe! to be sure
Clamai ina ambulanza, per plaschair.
Please call an ambulance
Usage
A polite request to call an ambulance. The Swiss ambulance number is 144 if you can phone yourself
Grammar Note
The plural imperative -ai of clamar (to call) is the polite Vus form. ambulanza is feminine, hence ina. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau sun vegnì engulà / vegnida engulada.
I was robbed
Usage
Tells police or staff that you were stolen from. Men say vegnì engulà, women vegnida engulada
Grammar Note
The passive is vegnir + participle, and the participle agrees with the subject (engulà / engulada). Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau hai basegn d'in medi.
I need a doctor
Usage
The basic way to say you need a doctor. medi is a masculine noun
Grammar Note
avair basegn da ... means to need something. da becomes d' before a vowel, followed by in (masculine indefinite article). Composed sentence; native review recommended
Nua è l'ospital il pli vischin?
Where is the nearest hospital?
Usage
The basic question for finding a hospital. "Nearest" is il pli vischin (pli = more, with the definite article for the superlative)
Grammar Note
The question word Nua comes first. ospital is masculine, so vischin takes the masculine form. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Clamai il 112, per plaschair.
Please call 112
Usage
112 is the European emergency number. In Switzerland police is 117, fire 118 and ambulance 144
Grammar Note
A number takes the definite article il. The plural imperative of clamar is the polite Vus form. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau hai pers mes passaport.
I have lost my passport
Usage
Use it at a police station or embassy after losing your passport. Add where and when to speed things up
Grammar Note
The perfect is avair + participle (pers from perder). The possessive is mes (m. sg.) and mia (f. sg.). Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau hai dolurs en il pèz.
I have a pain in my chest
Usage
Reports chest pain. pèz can also mean breast, so place a hand on the middle of the chest to be clear
Grammar Note
dolur (pain) is feminine; the plural dolurs is used to say one has pain. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau hai ina allergia cunter il penicillin.
I am allergic to penicillin
Usage
States a penicillin allergy at a clinic or pharmacy. penicillin is masculine
Grammar Note
allergia is feminine. "Allergy to ..." is allergia cunter .... Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau hai basegn d'in interpret.
I need an interpreter
Usage
Use it to ask for an interpreter at a hospital or police station. A female interpreter is interpreta
Grammar Note
The pattern is avair basegn da ...; da becomes d' before a vowel. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Smettai!
Stop it!
Usage
A firm way to make someone stop. It is the plural (Vus) imperative, so it stays respectful
Grammar Note
Plural imperative -ai of smetter (to stop). To one familiar person use the singular Smetta!
Na ma tutgai betg!
Do not touch me!
Usage
A firm refusal when someone touches you. It is the plural (Vus) imperative, so it also works in public settings
Grammar Note
A negative command is na + verb + betg. The object pronoun ma (me) goes before the verb. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Polizia!
Police!
Usage
A shout for the police. The Swiss police number is 117
Grammar Note
polizia is a feminine noun
l'incendi
Fire
Usage
The word for a fire. If shouting, Fieu! is easy to understand. The fire brigade is 118
Grammar Note
incendi is masculine; the article il becomes l' before a vowel
il lader
Thief
Usage
The word for a thief. lader also covers a pickpocket
Grammar Note
lader is masculine; the plural is laders
la rapina
Robbery
Usage
The word for a robbery with violence. Useful as a headline word when reporting to the police
Grammar Note
rapina is a feminine noun
il bursariel
Pickpocket
Usage
The word for a pickpocket. It is built on bursa (wallet), as in someone who goes for wallets
Grammar Note
bursariel is masculine; the plural is bursariels
il rapinament
Kidnapping
Usage
The word for a kidnapping, for use when reporting to the police
Grammar Note
rapinament is masculine and is built on rapir (to abduct)
l'omicidi
Murder
Usage
The word for a murder or homicide, used when reporting to the police
Grammar Note
omicidi is masculine; the article il becomes l' before a vowel
la bumba
Bomb
Usage
The word for a bomb, used as a headline word when raising an alarm
Grammar Note
bumba is a feminine noun
Fieu! Fugi!
Fire! Run!
Usage
A shout that warns of fire and tells people to flee. Short and easy to grasp at once
Grammar Note
The plural imperative of fugir (to flee) is fugi. fieu is masculine, and shouted alone it means "fire!"
Lader! Tschiffai il lader!
Thief! Catch him!
Usage
A shout when you see a thief, calling on bystanders to catch him
Grammar Note
Plural imperative -ai of tschiffar (to catch). Composed sentence; native review recommended
Clamai ils pumpiers, per plaschair.
Please call the fire brigade
Usage
A polite request to call the fire brigade. The Swiss fire number is 118
Grammar Note
pumpiers (fire brigade) is a masculine noun used in the plural. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Nua è il post da polizia?
Where is the police station?
Usage
Asks for the location of a police station. post da polizia is the police post
Grammar Note
The question word Nua comes first, then the verb è and the subject. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau vuless denunziar in engol.
I want to report a theft
Usage
Tells the police you want to report a theft. jau vuless is the polite "I would like to"
Grammar Note
jau vuless + infinitive expresses a polite wish. engol is masculine. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Discurra insatgi giapunais?
Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?
Usage
Use it to look for someone who speaks Japanese. Swap in another language name if you can switch to German or English
Grammar Note
Putting the verb before the subject insatgi makes the question. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Questa persuna è senza schientscha.
This person is unconscious
Usage
Tells bystanders or the ambulance that someone has lost consciousness. persuna is feminine and used for any person
Grammar Note
senza schientscha (without consciousness) is the set way to say unconscious. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Insatgi naja!
Someone is drowning
Usage
A shout to raise the alarm when someone is drowning. Point to the place right after
Grammar Note
The 3sg form of najar (to drown) is naja. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau sun vegnì battì / vegnida battida.
I was beaten
Usage
Reports that you were beaten. Men say vegnì battì, women vegnida battida
Grammar Note
The passive is vegnir + participle, and the participle agrees with the subject. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau sun vegnì ferì / vegnida ferida cun in cuntè.
I was wounded with a knife
Usage
Reports being wounded with a knife. Use it when calling for emergency help right away
Grammar Note
cuntè (knife) is masculine. The passive participle agrees with the subject. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Insatgi ha rut en en mia stanza.
Someone broke into my room
Usage
Tells the front desk or police that someone broke into your hotel or lodging room
Grammar Note
The perfect of rumper en (to break in) is ha rut en. mia is the feminine "my", and stanza (room) is feminine. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Quella persuna è il delinquent.
That person is the culprit
Usage
Points out the culprit to the police or bystanders. Use it while clearly pointing at the person
Grammar Note
delinquent is a masculine noun and refers to an offender of any gender. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau sun vegnì engianà / vegnida engianada.
I was deceived
Usage
Reports being cheated or swindled. Men say vegnì engianà, women vegnida engianada
Grammar Note
The passive is vegnir + participle, and the participle agrees with the subject. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Mia bursa è vegnida engulada.
My wallet was stolen
Usage
Says your wallet was stolen. bursa covers purses and wallets in general
Grammar Note
bursa is feminine, so the participles are also feminine: vegnida engulada. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Jau hai emblidà insatge.
I forgot something
Usage
Use it at a counter after leaving something on a train or in a restaurant. Add what you forgot
Grammar Note
The perfect is avair + participle. insatge is the indefinite pronoun "something". Composed sentence; native review recommended
Fugi tras la sortida da segirezza, per plaschair.
Please escape through the emergency exit
Usage
A polite call to evacuate. sortida da segirezza is the emergency exit
Grammar Note
sortida is feminine, so the article is la. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Attenziun!
Watch out!
Usage
A short warning of danger. It means "watch out" and works broadly
Grammar Note
attenziun is feminine; shouted alone it works as a warning
Faschai spert, per plaschair.
Please hurry
Usage
A polite way to ask someone to hurry
Grammar Note
The plural imperative of far (to do) is faschai. spert is an adverb meaning quickly. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Vegni subit, per plaschair.
Please come right away
Usage
A polite request to come right away
Grammar Note
The plural imperative of vegnir (to come) is vegni. Composed sentence; native review recommended
Quai è in cas d'urgenza.
It's an emergency
Usage
A short statement that this is an emergency. Good as a first explanation when asking for help
Grammar Note
cas d'urgenza is the set expression for an emergency; cas is masculine. Composed sentence; native review recommended
I dat in accident da traffic.
There has been a traffic accident
Usage
Reports that a traffic accident has happened. Add the location right after
Grammar Note
i dat is the impersonal "there is". accident da traffic means traffic accident. Composed sentence; native review recommended
More Romansh phrases
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- Basic Nouns
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