Emergency

1. Туслаарай!

   Tuslaarai!

   Help!

   Usage

   Cry for help in an emergency situation

   Grammar Note

   "Туслаарай" is the verb stem "тусла-" (from "туслах", to help) plus the request ending "-аарай" = "please help." "Туслаач!" is another common way to call for help.

2. Эмч дуудаж өгнө үү

   Emch duudaj ögnö üü

   Please call a doctor

   Usage

   When medical help is urgently needed

   Grammar Note

   "Эмч" (doctor) is a native Mongolian word. "Дуудаж өгнө үү" is a benefactive request meaning "please call for me."

3. Цагдаа дуудаж өгнө үү

   Tsagdaa duudaj ögnö üü

   Please call the police

   Usage

   Calling for police in a criminal or dangerous situation

   Grammar Note

   Mongolian emergency numbers: Police 102, Ambulance 103, Fire 101. "Цагдаа" is the word for the police (officer).

4. Түргэн тусламж дуудаж өгнө үү

   Türgen tuslamj duudaj ögnö üü

   Please call an ambulance

   Usage

   When an ambulance is urgently needed

   Grammar Note

   "Түргэн тусламж" (fast aid) means ambulance/emergency service. "Тусламж" is the noun form of "туслах" (to help). Ambulance number: 103.

5. Гал гарлаа!

   Gal garlaa!

   Fire!

   Usage

   Shouting when a fire breaks out

   Grammar Note

   "Гарлаа" is the perfect form of "гарах" (to come out). "-лаа/-лээ" marks the occurrence of an event. Fire department number: 101.

6. Надад гэмтэл гарсан

   Nadad gemtel garsan

   I am injured

   Usage

   Reporting that you have been injured

   Grammar Note

   Mongolian dative "-д/-т" means "to/for." "Надад" is the dative of "би" (I/me). "Гэмтэл гарсан" = "an injury has occurred" (the perfective of "гарах", to arise; not a passive form).

7. Өвдөж байна

   Övdöj baina

   I am in pain

   Usage

   Expressing that you are in pain

   Grammar Note

   "Өвдөж байна" is progressive: "is hurting right now." Insert body part before the phrase: "[body part] өвдөж байна."

8. Эмнэлэг хаана байна вэ?

   Emneleg khaana baina ve?

   Where is the hospital?

   Usage

   Finding the nearest hospital or medical facility

   Grammar Note

   "Эмнэлэг" (hospital) = "эмнэх" (to treat) + the nominalizing suffix "-лэг". Ulaanbaatar has several hospitals including the National Center Hospital.

9. Паспортоо алдсан

   Pasportoo aldsan

   I lost my passport

   Usage

   Reporting a lost passport to the embassy or police

   Grammar Note

   "Алдсан" is the perfect of "алдах" (to lose). The suffix "-аа/-ээ/-оо" acts as a possessive pronoun ("my...") on the preceding noun.

10. Элчин сайдын яам хаана байна вэ?

    Elchin saidyn yaam khaana baina ve?

    Where is the embassy?

    Usage

    When you need to contact or visit an embassy during travel trouble

    Grammar Note

    "Элчин сайдын яам" = "ambassador's ministry/building." "Яам" refers to government offices. Most foreign embassies are in Ulaanbaatar.

11. Цасан шуурга болж байна

    Tsasan shuurga bolj baina

    There is a blizzard

    Usage

    Warning about blizzard conditions on the Mongolian steppe (dzud)

    Grammar Note

    Mongolian "Зуд" (dzud) is a severe winter disaster killing livestock. Always watch for sudden weather changes on the steppe. "Болж байна" means "is becoming."

12. Боль!

    Boli!

    Stop it!

    Usage

    Show without speaking to shut down a pushy tout, a scam or harassment; it is blunt on purpose

13. Битгий хүр!

    Bitgii khür!

    Don't touch me!

    Usage

    Show when someone puts hands on you or your bags; "bitgii" is the prohibitive particle

14. Хулгайд алдлаа

    Khulgaid aldlaa

    It was stolen

    Usage

    Show when reporting a theft to the police or for an insurance claim

15. Би төөрчихлөө

    Bi töörchikhlöö

    I am lost

    Usage

    Show to a passer-by or a police officer when you need help finding your way

16. Хулгайч

    Khulgaich

    Thief

    Usage

    Point at the person who stole from you when reporting; the act of theft itself is "khulgai"

17. Дээрэм

    Deerem

    Robbery

    Usage

    Show when reporting that you were robbed by force; the robber himself is "deeremchin"

18. Халаасны хулгайч

    Khalaasny khulgaich

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    A compound of "khalaas" (pocket) and "khulgaich" (thief); show when reporting the crime

19. Хүн хулгайлах

    Khün khulgailakh

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Literally "to steal a person"; Mongolian uses this verb phrase for kidnapping, not a single noun

20. Хүн амины хэрэг

    Khün aminy khereg

    Murder

    Usage

    The everyday term for a homicide case. It is also used as a classification term in statistics and causes of death (e.g. "хүн амины хэрэг гаралтын хувиар", by homicide rate). "Хүнийг алах" is a verb phrase ("to kill a person"), not the name of a case. Do not use "Аллага": it means the act of killing and destroying en masse, i.e. a massacre, not a single homicide

21. Түйвээн

    Tüiveen

    Riot

    Usage

    The word for street unrest; the 2008 Ulaanbaatar riot is named with this word

22. Тэсрэх бөмбөг

    Tesrekh bömbög

    Bomb

    Usage

    "bömbög" alone means a ball, so the qualifier "tesrekh" (exploding) is required

23. Гал гарлаа! Зугтаарай!

    Gal garlaa! Zugtaarai!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Show to warn the people around you and get them out when you notice a fire

    Grammar Note

    The first half is the same form as "Gal garlaa" (a fire has broken out). "Zugtaarai" is "zugtakh" (to flee in fear) with the polite imperative -aarai, formed like "Uuchlaarai."

24. Хулгайч! Барь!

    Khulgaich! Bari!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Shout or show this to the people around you right after something is snatched from you

    Grammar Note

    The word "Khulgaich" (thief) is used as a shout. "Bari" is the short imperative of "barikh" (to grab, to catch), formed exactly like "Boli!" (stop) from "bolikh".

25. Гал унтраах машин дуудаж өгнө үү

    Gal untraakh mashin duudaj ögnö üü

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

    Show to ask someone to call the fire brigade; the fire emergency number in Mongolia is 101

    Grammar Note

    The "X duudaj ögnö üü" ("please call X for me") pattern filled with "gal untraakh mashin" (fire engine). "Duudaj ögnö üü" is the benefactive request form.

26. Цагдаагийн газар хаана байна вэ?

    Tsagdaagiin gazar khaana baina ve?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Show to a passer-by when you need to find the police station to report a theft or an accident

    Grammar Note

    The "X khaana baina ve?" ("where is X?") pattern filled with "tsagdaagiin gazar" (police station): the genitive of "tsagdaa" (police) plus "gazar" (place, office), which names the building rather than the force.

27. Япон хэл мэддэг хүн байна уу?

    Yapon khel meddeg khün baina uu?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Show at a police station, hospital or hotel desk when you are looking for someone who can interpret

    Grammar Note

    Mongolian expresses "to speak a language" as "khel medekh" (to know a language). The "X baina uu?" ("is there X?") pattern is filled with "Yapon khel meddeg khün" (a person who knows Japanese).

28. Энэ хүн ухаан алдсан

    Ene khün ukhaan aldsan

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Point at the collapsed person and show this to bystanders or to the ambulance crew

    Grammar Note

    "Aldsan" (has lost) is the same perfect form as in "Pasportoo aldsan" (I lost my passport). "Ukhaan aldakh" is the set phrase for losing consciousness.

29. Хүн живж байна!

    Khün jivj baina!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Show to alert people that someone is drowning in a river, a lake or a pool

    Grammar Note

    The "V-j baina" progressive is the same form as in "Övdöj baina" (it is hurting). "Jivekh" means to sink under water, to drown.

30. Намайг зодлоо

    Namaig zodloo

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Show to the police or to a doctor to report that you were assaulted

    Grammar Note

    Mongolian states this actively: "(someone) beat me." The ending -loo/-laa is the immediate past used in "Khulgaid aldlaa" (it was stolen).

31. Намайг хутгаллаа

    Namaig khutgallaa

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Show to the ambulance crew or the police to report that you were stabbed with a blade

    Grammar Note

    "Khutgalakh" is built on "khutga" (knife) and means to stab or wound with a knife. Like "Namaig zodloo," it is phrased actively.

32. Өрөөнд хулгайч орсон

    Öröönd khulgaich orson

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Show at the hotel desk or to the police to report that your room was entered while you were out

    Grammar Note

    The same "dative-locative + orokh" pattern as "Gert orokh" (to enter a ger). The subject is "khulgaich" (thief); Mongolian keeps the sentence active rather than passive.

33. Тэр хүн бол гэмт хэрэгтэн

    Ter khün bol gemt kheregten

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Show to the police while pointing out the offender; make sure you are safe before doing so

    Grammar Note

    Uses the copula "bol" as in "Ene bol ..." (this is ...). "Gemt kheregten" means the person who committed the crime.

34. Намайг хуурлаа

    Namaig khuurlaa

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Show to the police to report that you were scammed or overcharged

    Grammar Note

    "Khuurakh" here is the homonym meaning to make someone believe a lie, to deceive (its homonyms mean "to peel" and "to fry"). It is the verb used in "Namaig khuurch bolokhgüi" (do not cheat me).

35. Хэтэвчээ хулгайд алдлаа

    Khetevchee khulgaid aldlaa

    My wallet was stolen

    Usage

    Show when reporting the theft of your wallet to the police or for an insurance claim

    Grammar Note

    The sentence "Khulgaid aldlaa" (it was stolen) with "khetevch" (wallet) added in the reflexive-possessive accusative "khetevchee," formed like "pasportoo."

36. Юмаа мартлаа

    Yumaa martlaa

    I left it behind

    Usage

    Show to say that you left your belongings behind in a shop or a vehicle

    Grammar Note

    "Nomoo martakh" means leaving one's book behind without remembering it; here that "reflexive-possessive + martakh" pattern is applied to "yum" (thing).

37. Намайг машин мөргөлөө

    Namaig mashin mörgölöö

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Show to the ambulance crew or the police to report that a car hit you

    Grammar Note

    "Mörgökh" literally means to butt or ram and is also used of vehicle impacts (cf. "mörgöldökh," to collide, and "mörgölt," a collision). The ending -löö is the vowel-harmony variant of -laa.

38. Онцгой байдлын гарцаар зугтаарай

    Ontsgoi baidlyn gartsaar zugtaarai

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Show to direct people to the emergency exit during a fire or a power failure

    Grammar Note

    Takes the wording of the "ONTSGOI BAIDLYN GARTS" (emergency exit) sign, written in sentence case, with the instrumental -aar meaning "through." On signs it is set in capitals.

39. Болгоомжтой!

    Bolgoomjtoi!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Shout or show this when the other person has not noticed an immediate danger

    Grammar Note

    Formed from "bolgoomj" (caution) with the comitative -toi, and used on its own as the call "be careful."

40. Яараарай!

    Yaaraarai!

    Please hurry

    Usage

    Show to an ambulance crew or a driver when you need them to hurry

    Grammar Note

    "Yaarakh" (to hurry) with the polite imperative -aarai, formed like "Uuchlaarai" and "Saikhan amraarai."

41. Яг одоо ирээрэй

    Yag odoo ireerei

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Show on the phone or at a desk to ask someone to come immediately

    Grammar Note

    The wording "Yag odoo" (right now) followed by "ireerei," the polite imperative of "irekh" (to come); the same -eerei ending as in "Tootsoo khiigeerei."

42. Намайг эмнэлэг рүү аваачиж өгнө үү

    Namaig emneleg rüü avaachij ögnö üü

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    Show to a taxi driver or a passer-by to ask them to take you to a hospital

    Grammar Note

    "Avaachikh" (to take something or someone somewhere) plus the benefactive request "ögnö üü." "Rüü" is the front-vowel form of the directive "ruu," required after the front-vowel word "emneleg."

43. Зам тээврийн осол гарсан

    Zam teevriin osol garsan

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Show this to tell the police, paramedics or bystanders that a traffic accident has happened

    Grammar Note

    The "osol garsan" frame of "Осол гарсан! Цасны хамгаалагчийг дуудна уу!" preceded by the official compound "zam teevriin", whose first element "zam" means road. Examples of "osol": "avtyn osol" (a mishap caused by vehicle defects or driver fault) and "mashiny osol" (a car colliding and being damaged)

44. Би цагдаад гомдол гаргахыг хүсч байна

    Bi tsagdaad gomdol gargakhyg khüsch baina

    I want to file a police report

    Usage

    Show at the desk when you want to report a theft or other harm to the police. The police number in Mongolia is 102

    Grammar Note

    The "gargakhyg khüsch baina" of "Би визний өргөдөл гаргахыг хүсч байна." (I want to submit a visa application), with "tsagdaa" in the dative "-d" and "gomdol" as the object. "Гомдол гаргах" means to lodge a complaint, to state one's grievance. "Ромын Эзэнт гүрний шүүхэд гомдол гаргасан" (they lodged a complaint with the court of the Roman Empire) is the same frame with the recipient in the dative. The basic sense of gomdol itself is the emotional one, so the institutional sense is expressed through "гомдол гаргах".

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