Lost? Need Help? How to Ask For Help in Japanese (+ Useful Emergency Numbers to Know!)

Anything can happen when you visit a new country, and what's worse than being helpless in a foreign country during these moments of crisis? In this blog post, I will be introducing you to some useful phrases you could use for your next trip to Japan, in case you get lost and/or need help during your stay. I hope you don’t have to ever use these words, but it is important to keep them in mind just in case!

First of all, some basic emergency numbers you should definitely know before you visit Japan:

#110 = police

#119= ambulance/fire truck

Be careful as there are two numbers you should remember for emergency calls, and the numbers are slightly different than the one number most of us are familiar with (911).

(source:http://media1.artspace.com/media/annika_strom/please_help_me_purple/annika_strom_5295_640x480.jpg)

Now for some useful phrases you should know for emergency situations...

助（たす）けて下（くだ）さい。

Ta-soo-keh-teh koo-da-sa-ii

= Please help me

This is the one phrase you should know, just in case something unexpected happens during your stay. You can use this phrase to simply ask for directions, or use it for more somber occasions, like getting your wallet stolen or when you encounter medical emergencies.

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警察（けいさつ）をお願（ねが）いします。

Kay-satsu wo o-neh-ga-ii-shi-ma-soo

= Please call the police

Pretty straightforward – use this phrase when you are faced with unexpected and serious emergencies, when calling the police is necessary.

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わかりません

Wa-ka-ri-ma-sen

= I don’t understand

When you are lost, in need of help, or simply tired of hearing Japanese all the time and not understanding, this phrase comes in handy – after all, it is better to admit you are lost or in need of help rather than spend your time wastefully trying to figure it our by yourself!

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大使館（たいしかん）はどこですか？

Tai-shi-kan wa do-ko-deh-soo-ka?

=Where is the embassy?

You never know what could happen during a trip, especially when you visit a foreign country. So make sure you know how to ask for directions to your country’s embassy, in case you lose your passport or for other bigger emergencies.

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迷（まよ）っています。

Mayo-tte ii-ma-soo

= I am lost

Hey, you could just be lost and confused. You can always use this phrase to let the people know you are trying to figure out your way.

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Some Other Useful Terms to Remember…

泥棒（どろぼう）！ = Doh-roh-boh-oo

Thief!

事故（じこ）= Ji-koh

Accident

怪我（けが）= Keh-ga

Injury

緊急（きんきゅう）= Kin-kyu

Emergency

病院（びょういん）= Byo-in

Hospital

救急車（きゅうきゅうしゃ）= Kyu-kyu-sha

Ambulance

火事（かじ）= Ka-ji

Fire

You can probably get away with almost anything if you know and understand when to use these phrases. Again, I really hope you won't have to use them ever, but it is always good to know them before your trip to Japan!