Hebrew Phrases for Medical Emergencies

Nobody plans for a medical emergency while traveling. That's kind of the definition of one. But if you're in Israel and something goes wrong, knowing a handful of Hebrew phrases could genuinely save time (and in a worst case, save a life). This isn't a fun post, but it's an important one. Save it somewhere you can find it fast.

Emergency numbers in Israel

Before the phrases, memorize these three numbers. They're the Israeli equivalents of 911.

• 101: Magen David Adom (ambulance and emergency medical services).
• 100: Police.
• 102: Fire department.

Operators on all three speak at least some English, so you'll be understood. But knowing the Hebrew basics gets help faster.

The phrases you need most

These are the phrases to yell or say clearly if something is wrong.

• Tikre'u le-ambulans! (תִּקְרְאוּ לְאַמְבּוּלַנְס!), call an ambulance!
• Tikre'u le-mishtara!, call the police!
• Ani tzarich ezra (masc) / Ani tzricha ezra (fem), I need help.
• Ze dachuf, it's urgent.
• Yesh lo/la pe'ulah... actually, let's use plainer: Mishehu pagua, someone is hurt.

Describing what's wrong

When the operator or a passerby asks what happened, these phrases help:

• Yesh li ke'ev be-..., I have pain in... (followed by a body part).
• Rosh (head), lev (heart), beten (stomach), gav (back), regel (leg), yad (hand/arm), chazeh (chest).
• Ani lo yachol linshom, I can't breathe.
• Ani medamem (masc) / medamemet (fem), I'm bleeding.
• Ani lo margish tov, I don't feel well.
• Yesh li alergia le-..., I'm allergic to...

Asking for a hospital

If you need to find medical help yourself:

• Eifo beit cholim karov?, where's the nearest hospital?
• Ani tzarich rofe, I need a doctor.
• Eifo beit mirqahat?, where's a pharmacy?

Hospital in Hebrew is beit cholim, literally "house of the sick". Pharmacy is beit mirqahat, literally "house of medicines". Tel Aviv has 24-hour pharmacies marked with a green cross sign.

At the hospital or clinic

If you're checking in:

• Ani tayar/tayaret, I'm a tourist (masc/fem).
• Yesh li bituach nesiot, I have travel insurance.
• Lo mevin Ivrit, (I) don't understand Hebrew. This usually triggers English-speaking staff to be called.
• Ata/at medaber/et Anglit?, do you speak English? (masc/fem)

Israeli medical staff in major cities, especially Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, almost always speak English. The Hebrew phrases above are for the first 30 seconds before someone switches languages.

Important contextual tips

A few things to know if you're traveling in Israel:

• Israel has high-quality medical care. Don't hesitate to seek help.
• Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Hospital fees without insurance can be high.
• Most pharmacies can sell basic medications (painkillers, antihistamines, stomach medicine) without a prescription.
• The national ambulance service, Magen David Adom (MDA), is reliable and fast. Don't be afraid to call.

Save this post offline

If you're traveling to Israel, screenshot this page or save it to your phone's notes app. In an actual emergency you won't have time to search for it. You want the phrases ready to go.

For more vocabulary around medical and body-related topics, our topics pages have detailed lists with audio, and our phrases section covers additional everyday situations.

I hope you never need these. But if you do, even a few words in Hebrew can help.