Travel is wonderful, but sometimes things go wrong. Getting lost, medical issues, theft, car breakdowns, or genuine emergencies can happen to anyone. Being prepared with the right phrases can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a serious problem. This guide provides essential Czech vocabulary and phrases for handling emergencies, medical situations, safety concerns, and other stressful circumstances.
Emergency Numbers and Services
First, know the numbers. The Czech Republic uses the European emergency number system:
112 – General emergency number (police, fire, ambulance). This works from any phone, including phones without credit.
155 – Ambulance specifically.
158 – Police (local police).
150 – Fire department.
156 – Mountain rescue (in areas with mountains).
1212 – Tourist line (information and assistance for tourists, often English-speaking).
Write these down or program them into your phone before traveling.
Calling for Emergency Help
Potřebuji pomoc! (PO-trzhe-bu-yee PO-mots) – I need help! (Use this if you’re in immediate danger.)
Volám záchranáře (VO-lahm ZAH-krah-nah-rzhe) – I’m calling an ambulance.
Zavolejte záchranáře, prosím! (zah-VOH-ley-teh ZAH-krah-nah-rzhe, PROH-seem) – Call an ambulance, please!
Volám policii (VO-lahm po-LI-tsee-ee) – I’m calling the police.
Zavolejte policii! (zah-VOH-ley-teh po-LI-tsee-ee) – Call the police!
Je to nouzová situace (yeh to NOW-zo-vah sit-u-AH-tseh) – This is an emergency.
Zde se stala nehoda (zdeh seh STAH-lah NEH-ho-dah) – There’s been an accident here.
Tam je nějaký na zemi (tahm yeh NEH-yah-kee nah ZEH-mee) – There’s someone on the ground there.
Medical Emergencies
The Czech healthcare system is good, but you need to know how to describe your problem.
General Medical Phrases
Jsem nemocný/á (sem neh-MOTS-nee/ah) – I’m sick. (For men/women.)
Bolí mě… (bo-LEE muh) – It hurts… / I have pain in…
Bolí mě hlava (bo-LEE muh HLAH-vah) – I have a headache.
Bolí mě zub (bo-LEE muh zup) – I have a toothache.
Bolí mě hrdlo (bo-LEE muh HUR-dlo) – My throat hurts.
Bolí mě břicho (bo-LEE muh BRZHE-kho) – My stomach hurts.
Bolí mě záda (bo-LEE muh ZAH-dah) – My back hurts.
Bolí mě noha (bo-LEE muh NO-hah) – My leg hurts.
Bolí mě ruka (bo-LEE muh RU-kah) – My arm hurts.
Mám horečku (mahm HO-retch-ku) – I have a fever.
Kouším (KOU-sheem) – I’m coughing. / I have a cough.
Kýchám (KEE-khahm) – I’m sneezing.
Mám průjem (mahm PROO-yem) – I have diarrhea.
Zvracím (zvrah-TSEEM) – I’m vomiting.
Mám nauzeu (mahm nah-U-zeh-u) – I feel nauseous.
Jsem v šoku (sem v SHHO-ku) – I’m in shock.
Nemůžu dýchat (NEH-mu-zhu DEE-khat) – I can’t breathe.
Mám bolest na prsou (mahm BO-lest nah PUR-sou) – I have chest pain.
Mám závrať (mahm ZAH-vrah) – I’m dizzy / I have vertigo.
Zranil jsem se (ZRAH-nil sem seh) – I injured myself.
Spadl jsem (spad-l sem) – I fell.
Udělal jsem si zranění (U-dyeh-lal sem see ZRAH-nyeh-nee) – I have an injury.
Krvácím (KUR-vah-tseem) – I’m bleeding.
Těsně jsem omdlel/a (TYEH-snyeh sem om-DLEL/ah) – I almost fainted. (Male/female.)
At the Hospital/Doctor’s Office
Lékař (LEH-kahrzh) – Doctor.
Lékárna (LEH-kar-nah) – Pharmacy.
Nemocnice (neh-MOTS-nee-tseh) – Hospital.
Ordinace (or-di-NAH-tseh) – Doctor’s office/clinic.
Kde je nejbližší nemocnice? (kdeh yeh NAY-blizh-shee neh-MOTS-nee-tseh) – Where is the nearest hospital?
Kde je lékárna? (kdeh yeh LEH-kar-nah) – Where is a pharmacy?
Potřebuji doktora (PO-trzhe-bu-yee DOK-to-rah) – I need a doctor.
Zavolejte doktora, prosím (zah-VOH-ley-teh DOK-to-rah, PROH-seem) – Call a doctor, please.
Co je se mnou? (tso yeh seh MNOU) – What’s wrong with me?
Je to vážné? (yeh to VAHZH-nuh) – Is it serious?
Jak dlouho to bude trvat? (yahk DLOO-ho to BU-deh TUR-vaht) – How long will this take?
Potřebuji recepty? (PO-trzhe-bu-yee reh-TSEP-tee) – Do I need a prescription?
Musím do nemocnice? (MU-seem do neh-MOTS-nee-tseh) – Do I need to go to the hospital?
Mohu cestovat? (mo-HU tses-to-VAT) – Can I travel?
Allergies and Medications
This is critical information for doctors.
Jsem alergický/á na… (sem ah-ler-GITS-kee/ah nah) – I’m allergic to…
Arašídy (ah-rah-SHEE-dee) – Peanuts.
Ořechy (O-zheh-khee) – Tree nuts.
Mléko (MLEH-ko) – Milk.
Gluten (GLOO-ten) – Gluten. (English word, commonly understood.)
Mám alergii na antibiotika (mahm ah-LER-gee-ee nah an-ti-bi-o-TI-kah) – I’m allergic to antibiotics.
Beru léky na… (BEH-ru LEH-kee nah) – I’m taking medication for…
Diabetes (di-ah-BEH-tes) – Diabetes.
Vysoký tlak krve (VIS-o-kee tlak KRV-eh) – High blood pressure.
Astma (AHS-tmah) – Asthma.
Epilepsie (eh-pi-LEP-see-eh) – Epilepsy.
Jaké léky běžně beru? (YAH-kuh LEH-kee BYEZH-nyeh BEH-ru) – What medications do I normally take?
Potřebuji svou lékarnu v Česku (PO-trzhe-bu-yee SVO-u LEH-kar-nu v CHES-ku) – I need my pharmacy in Czech Republic.
Pharmacy and Medication
Lékárna (LEH-kar-nah) – Pharmacy.
Lékárníci (LEH-kar-nyee-tsi) – Pharmacist.
Potřebuji léky na bolest (PO-trzhe-bu-yee LEH-kee nah BO-lest) – I need painkillers.
Léky na žaludek (LEH-kee nah ZHAH-lu-dek) – Stomach medication.
Prášky (PRAH-shkee) – Pills/tablets.
Sirup (SIH-rup) – Syrup.
Mast (mahst) – Cream/salve.
Injekce (in-YEK-tseh) – Injection.
Jak beru toto léku? (yahk BEH-ru TO-to LEH-ku) – How do I take this medication?
Kolikrát denně? (ko-LIK-raht DEN-nyeh) – How many times a day?
Jídlem nebo bez jídla? (YID-lem NEH-bo bez YID-lah) – With food or without?
Jaké jsou vedlejší účinky? (YAH-kuh sou VED-ley-shee OO-tsin-kee) – What are the side effects?
Smím se opalit? (smeem seh o-PAH-lit) – Can I sunbathe? (Important if you’re on certain medications.)
Kolik to stojí? (ko-lik to STOY-ee) – How much does it cost?
Pojištění to pokryje? (po-yish-TYEH-nee to PO-kree-yeh) – Will insurance cover it?
Dental Emergencies
Zubní lékař (ZUB-nee LEH-kahrzh) – Dentist.
Zubní ordinace (ZUB-nee or-di-NAH-tseh) – Dental office.
Mám bolest zuba (mahm BO-lest ZU-bah) – I have a toothache.
Vypadl mi zub (VIP-ad-l mee zup) – I lost a tooth.
Zlomil jsem si zub (ZLOH-mil sem see zup) – I broke a tooth.
Mám opuchlé dásně (mahm o-PUKH-luh DAHS-nyeh) – My gums are swollen.
Krvácím z úst (KUR-vah-tseem z OOST) – I’m bleeding from my mouth.
Kde je nejbližší zubní lékař? (kdeh yeh NAY-blizh-shee ZUB-nee LEH-kahrzh) – Where is the nearest dentist?
Je to urgentní (yeh to UR-gen-tyee) – This is urgent.
Mohu dostat urgentní zákrok? (mo-HU DOS-tat UR-gen-tyee ZAH-krok) – Can I get emergency treatment?
Lost or Stolen Items
Ztratil jsem… (STRAH-til sem) – I lost…
Byla mi odcizena… (BIH-lah mee od-TSI-zeh-nah) – I was robbed of…
Ztratil jsem pas (STRAH-til sem pahs) – I lost my passport.
Ztratil jsem peněženku (STRAH-til sem peh-NEH-zhen-ku) – I lost my wallet.
Ztratil jsem mobil (STRAH-til sem MO-bil) – I lost my phone.
Ztratil jsem letenku (STRAH-til sem leh-TEN-ku) – I lost my airline ticket.
Mám z toho všeho hlavu? (mahm z TO-ho VSHEH-ho HLAH-vu) – I’m going crazy. (Expressing frustration.)
Najdete to? (NAY-deh-teh to) – Will you find it?
Kde se odevzdávají nalezené věci? (kdeh seh o-dev-ZDAH-vah-yee nah-LEH-zeh-nuh VYE-tsee) – Where are found items turned in?
Policie (po-LI-tsee-eh) – Police.
Musím si podat hlášení o ztrátě (MU-seem see POH-dat HLAH-sheh-nee o STRAH-tyeh) – I need to file a report about the loss.
Theft and Crime
Jsem si nekoupil – Wait, that’s not right. Let me use:
Byla mi okradena (BIH-lah mee o-krah-DEH-nah) – I was robbed. (For women; for men: “Byl jsem okraden”)
Někdo mi vykradl stan (NEH-kdo mee VIK-rahd-l stan) – Someone broke into my tent.
Někdo mi vykradl auto (NEH-kdo mee VIK-rahd-l AW-to) – Someone broke into my car.
Je mi někdo křivdou (yeh mee NEH-kdo KRZHEEF-do) – Someone wronged me. (More formal.)
Zavolejte policii! (zah-VOH-ley-teh po-LI-tsee-ee) – Call the police!
Mám strach (mahm strahkh) – I’m afraid.
Pociťuji se v bezpečí (po-TSEE-tyoo-yee seh v bez-PEH-chee) – I feel unsafe. (Expressing general concern.)
Bezpečnost (BEZ-pech-nost) – Safety.
Nebezpečno (neh-bez-PEH-chno) – Dangerous.
Tuto oblast se vyhýbejte v noci (TU-to O-blast seh VEE-hee-bey-teh v NO-tsee) – Avoid this area at night.
Scams and Tourist Warnings
Prague and Czech tourist areas unfortunately have scams. Knowing how to identify and report them is important.
To je podvod (to yeh POD-vot) – That’s a scam/fraud.
Klamete mě (KLAH-meh-teh muh) – You’re lying to me / You’re deceiving me.
Nebudu platit (NEH-bu-du PLAH-tit) – I won’t pay.
To není správná cena (to NEH-nee SPRAH-vnah TSEH-nah) – That’s not the right price.
Jste mi překročil cenu (styeh mee PRZHE-kro-chil TSEH-nu) – You overcharged me.
Reklamace (reh-klah-MAH-tseh) – Complaint.
Chci si stěžovat (khtsee see STYEH-zho-vat) – I want to file a complaint.
Finanční policie (fi-NAN-chnyee po-LI-tsee-eh) – Financial police (for fraud cases).
Nevěřím vám (NEH-vyeh-rzeem vahm) – I don’t trust you.
Common Prague scams include:
- Overcharging for drinks or food at tourist restaurants
- Fake taxi meters
- “Gypsy taxi” services
- Prague bar girls who order expensive drinks you don’t consent to
- Fake police stopping tourists
When in doubt, ask to speak with a manager or the police.
Car Breakdown and Traffic Issues
Můj vůz se zeptal (mooy voosh seh ZEP-tahl) – My car broke down.
Auto se mi porouchalo (AW-to seh mee po-ROU-kha-lo) – My car broke down.
Pojišťovna (po-yish-TYEH-na) – Insurance company.
Asistenční linku (ah-sis-TEN-chnyee LIN-ku) – Roadside assistance line.
Chci si zavolat asistenční službu (khtsee see zah-VO-lat ah-sis-TEN-chnyee SLUZH-bu) – I need to call roadside assistance.
Potřebuji pomoc s autem (PO-trzhe-bu-yee PO-mots s AW-tem) – I need help with my car.
Pneumatika je prasklá (pneu-MAH-ti-kah yeh PRAHS-klah) – I have a flat tire.
Nemám benzín (NEH-mahm ben-ZEE N) – I’m out of gas.
Motor nefunguje (MO-tor neh-FUN-gu-yeh) – The engine doesn’t work.
Baterie je vybitá (bah-TEH-rih-eh yeh VIH-bi-tah) – The battery is dead.
Nejbližší čerpací stanice (NAY-blizh-shee CHER-pah-tsee STAH-nee-tseh) – Nearest gas station.
Neznám se v mapě (NEH-znahm seh v MAH-puh) – I don’t know where I am on the map.
Ztratil jsem se (STRAH-til sem seh) – I’m lost.
Silnice je uzavřena (SIL-nee-tseh yeh U-zahv-rzheh-nah) – The road is closed.
Výjezd je blokován (VEE-yezd yeh blo-KO-vahn) – The exit is blocked.
Police Interaction
If you’re stopped by police, stay calm and cooperative. Czech police are professional.
Mohu vědět, proč jste mě zastavil? (mo-HU VYE-dyeh-t, protsh styeh muh zah-STAH-vil) – Can I know why you stopped me?
Jsem cizinec (sem TSIZ-i-nets) – I’m a foreigner.
Nemluvím dobře česky (NEH-mlu-veem DOH-bruh CHES-kee) – I don’t speak Czech well.
Mluvíte anglicky? (mlu-VEE-teh AHN-glits-kee) – Do you speak English?
Jsem si vědom toho, co jsem udělal (sem see VYE-dom TO-ho, tso sem U-dyeh-lal) – I’m aware of what I did.
Jsem to neměl dělat (sem to NEH-myel DYEH-lat) – I shouldn’t have done that.
Máte důkaz? (MAH-teh DOO-kahz) – Do you have proof?
Nechci přiznání (NEH-khtsee przhe-ZNAH-nee) – I want a lawyer. (Literal: “I don’t want a confession.”)
Actually, the correct phrase is: Chci si volat právníka (khtsee see VO-lat PRAHV-nyee-kah) – I want to call a lawyer.
Velvyslanectví (vel-vis-lah-NETS-tvee) – Embassy.
Konzulát (kon-ZU-laht) – Consulate.
Embassy and Consular Help
If you’re in serious trouble, contact your embassy.
Kde je americké velvyslanectví? (kdeh yeh ah-meh-RITS-kuh vel-vis-lah-NETS-tvee) – Where is the US Embassy? (Adjust nationality as needed.)
Britské velvyslanectví (BRIT-skuh vel-vis-lah-NETS-tvee) – British Embassy.
Kanadské velvyslanectví (kah-NAD-skuh vel-vis-lah-NETS-tvee) – Canadian Embassy.
Australské velvyslanectví (aus-TRAHL-skuh vel-vis-lah-NETS-tvee) – Australian Embassy.
Jsem občan/občanka… (sem OB-tsee-vahn/ob-TSEE-vahn-kah) – I’m a citizen of… (Male/female. Name your country.)
Potřebuji konzulární pomoc (PO-trzhe-bu-yee kon-ZU-lar-nyee PO-mots) – I need consular assistance.
Ztratil jsem pas (STRAH-til sem pahs) – I lost my passport.
Jsem bez dokladů (sem bez DO-klah-du) – I have no documents.
Prosím o dočasný pas (PROH-seem o do-CHAH-snee pahs) – Please, I need a temporary passport.
Practical Emergency Tips
- Keep a translation app handy. Google Translate, Deepl, or similar apps are invaluable in emergencies.
Final Thoughts: Staying Safe While Exploring
The Czech Republic is generally a very safe country. Most visitors never need to use these phrases. However, knowing them provides peace of mind and preparedness. The beauty of travel is exploration, and the confidence to explore comes from knowing you can handle unexpected situations.
Keep these phrases close, stay aware of your surroundings, and remember that Czech people, when approached respectfully, are helpful and kind. If something goes wrong, you have the tools to communicate your problem and get help.
Stay safe, travel well, and enjoy every moment in the Czech Republic.
—
Pro tip: Keep the emergency numbers (112, 155, 158) in your phone as contacts. In a genuine emergency, you might forget the number in panic, but you’ll remember to call a contact.
Leave a Reply