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- The single most important Persian emergency phrase — and how to pronounce it correctly
- Iranian emergency service numbers: police, ambulance, fire
- 30 essential emergency phrases across medical, safety, travel, and legal situations
- Medical vocabulary for describing symptoms and conditions in Persian
- How Iranian emergency services work — what to expect when you call
- Practical scenarios: what to say and when
Emergency Phrases in Persian (Farsi): 30 Essential Phrases with Pronunciation
Knowing how to communicate in a crisis can be the difference between receiving help quickly and a confusing, delayed response. If you are travelling to a Persian-speaking country, living in an Iranian community, or simply preparing for a range of situations, these phrases are the most practical Persian you can learn.
This guide goes beyond a phrase list: it includes pronunciation notes, Iranian emergency service numbers, medical vocabulary for describing what is wrong, and cultural context about how emergency services function in Persian-speaking environments.
If you are in Iran, these are the numbers to know before you need them.
The Most Important Emergency Phrase in Persian
If you learn only one Persian phrase from this guide, learn this one. It is understood immediately, requires no grammar, and will get you help in any situation:
Pronunciation breakdown:
- کمک (komak) — help/assistance. The “k” sounds are both standard English “k” sounds. The “o” is like the “o” in “hot.”
- کنید (konid) — do it / please (formal imperative). Literally “please do [help].”
- Stress falls on the second syllable: ko-MAK ko-NID
When to use it: Shout this loudly in any emergency to attract attention. It works in any Persian-speaking environment — Iran, Afghanistan (where Dari is spoken), and Persian-speaking diaspora communities worldwide. The word komak is also used in many other emergency phrases below.
| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| کمک کنید! | Komak konid! | Help! / Help me! | Shout to attract immediate attention in any emergency |
| خطر! | Khatar! | Danger! | Warning of immediate danger to others |
| مراقب باشید! | Morāgheb bāshid! | Watch out! / Be careful! | Warning someone of an immediate hazard |
| آتش! | Ātash! | Fire! | Alert to a fire — shout loudly |
| دزد! | Dozd! | Thief! | Alert to theft in progress |
| با پلیس تماس بگیرید | Bā polis tamās begirid | Call the police | Asking someone to call the police for you |
| آمبولانس خبر کنید | Āmbulāns khabar konid | Call an ambulance | Medical emergency requiring immediate transport |
| اورژانس بزنید | Orzhāns bezanid | Call emergency services | General emergency call request |
| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| من به دکتر نیاز دارم | Man be doktor niyāz dāram | I need a doctor | Direct medical assistance request |
| بیمارستان کجاست؟ | Bimārestān kojāst? | Where is the hospital? | Locate nearest medical facility |
| حالم خوب نیست | Hālam khub nist | I don’t feel well | Communicating illness — general |
| درد دارم | Dard dāram | I am in pain | General pain — location added after (see below) |
| اینجا درد میکند | Injā dard mikonad | It hurts here | Point to the location of pain as you say this |
| نمیتوانم نفس بکشم | Nemitavānam nafas bekesham | I can’t breathe | Respiratory emergency — critical phrase |
| من به … آلرژی دارم | Man be … ālerji dāram | I am allergic to … | Insert the substance name: penicillin, nuts, etc. |
| من دیابت دارم | Man diābet dāram | I have diabetes | Critical pre-existing condition to communicate |
| داروخانه کجاست؟ | Dārukhāne kojāst? | Where is the pharmacy? | For medication needs — pharmacies (داروخانه) are widely available in Iranian cities |
| این دارو را دارید؟ | In dāru rā dārid? | Do you have this medication? | Show the medication packaging or write the name |
| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| من گم شدهام | Man gom shode’am | I am lost | Communicating that you need help finding your location |
| مورد سرقت قرار گرفتم | Mored-e sareqhat gharār gerefte’am | I have been robbed | Report theft to police or bystanders |
| کیف / پاسپورتم دزدیده شد | Kif / pāsportam dozdiyde shod | My bag / passport was stolen | Critical for travellers — report to police immediately |
| من به وکیل نیاز دارم | Man be vakil niyāz dāram | I need a lawyer | Legal emergency or police contact situation |
| من اینجا را نمیشناسم | Man injā rā nemishenāsam | I don’t know this area | Communicating unfamiliarity with location |
| لطفاً به سفارت خانهام زنگ بزنید | Lotfan be sefārat-khāne’am zang bezanid | Please call my embassy | Request consular assistance — essential phrase for foreign travellers |
| تصادف شده | Tasādof shode | There has been an accident | Report a road accident or incident |
| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| کجا هستم؟ | Kojā hastam? | Where am I? | Ask your location when disoriented |
| فرودگاه کجاست؟ | Forudgāh kojāst? | Where is the airport? | Airport navigation |
| پلیس کجاست؟ | Polis kojāst? | Where is the police station? | Finding law enforcement |
| میتوانید کمکم کنید؟ | Mitavānid komakam konid? | Can you help me? | Polite request for assistance — more measured than shouting komak |
| انگلیسی بلد هستید؟ | Engelisi balad hastid? | Do you speak English? | Finding a bilingual helper in a non-emergency situation |
| این آدرس کجاست؟ | In ādres kojāst? | Where is this address? | Show the written address on your phone |
Medical Vocabulary: Describing Symptoms in Persian
Beyond the core phrases, being able to describe specific symptoms significantly improves the quality of help you receive. These body parts and symptoms are the most useful to know:
| Farsi Script | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| سر | Sar | Head |
| قلب | Qalb | Heart |
| معده | Me’de | Stomach |
| ریه | Riye | Lungs |
| تب دارم | Tab dāram | I have a fever |
| سرم درد میکند | Saram dard mikonad | My head hurts / I have a headache |
| حالت تهوع دارم | Hālat-e tahavo dāram | I feel nauseous |
| سرگیجه دارم | Sargizheh dāram | I feel dizzy |
| خون میآید | Khun mi’āyad | There is bleeding |
| شکستگی دارم | Shekastegi dāram | I have a broken bone |
How Iranian Emergency Services Work: What to Expect
Knowing the phrases is one part of emergency preparedness. Understanding what happens when you use them is equally important:
- Emergency operators speak Persian. English is not guaranteed on emergency lines. Having your key phrase ready — Komak konid, man be doktor niyāz dāram (Help, I need a doctor) — will get the fastest response even with limited Persian.
- Ambulance dispatch (115) is the medical emergency line. For medical situations, call 115 directly. They will ask your location (kojā hastid? — where are you?) and the nature of the emergency.
- Your location is critical. Be ready to name the street, neighbourhood, or a major landmark near you. Having your GPS location on your phone screen is often faster than describing it verbally.
- Bystanders are generally very helpful. Iranian culture places high value on helping strangers in need (ta’arof applies here too — Iranians will often go out of their way to assist). Saying Komak konid clearly will usually attract immediate assistance in public spaces.
- For travellers: register with your embassy. Before travelling to Iran, register your presence with your country’s embassy. In a genuine emergency, they can provide consular assistance and potentially interpreter services.
Practical tip for non-speakers: Save the phrase Komak konid, man Engelisi hastam (کمک کنید، من انگلیسی هستم) — “Help, I am English [speaker]” — in your phone notes in Persian script. Showing this to someone in an emergency communicates both that you need help and that you do not speak Persian, prompting them to find a bilingual helper.
Move Beyond Emergency Phrases with a Native Persian Tutor
These phrases give you a survival foundation. For real confidence in Persian-speaking environments — conversation, culture, and daily life — structured lessons with a native tutor make the difference. Book a free trial at Danaa School.
Book a Free Trial Lesson →Frequently Asked Questions
The word for help in Farsi is کمک (komak). To shout for help in an emergency, say کمک کنید! (Komak konid!) — literally “Please help!” The word komak is immediately understood and will attract attention in any Persian-speaking environment.
Iran has separate emergency numbers for different services: Police — 110; Ambulance / Medical Emergency — 115; Fire Service — 125; Social Emergency Services — 123. Save these in your phone before travelling to Iran.
من به دکتر نیاز دارم (Man be doktor niyāz dāram). This phrase is understood immediately in any medical context. You can also point to the area of pain and say اینجا درد میکند (Injā dard mikonad) — “It hurts here.”
Not reliably. Emergency operators work primarily in Persian. Having a few key phrases ready — particularly your location, the nature of the emergency, and the core phrases in this guide — significantly improves the quality of help you receive. Many bystanders, particularly in cities like Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz, will speak some English and can assist as interpreters.
Yes. Dari (spoken in Afghanistan) and Tajik (spoken in Tajikistan) are varieties of the same Persian language. The emergency phrases in this guide will be understood across all Persian-speaking regions, with minor pronunciation variations. Dari uses some different vocabulary for certain terms, but emergency phrases are largely identical.
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