Japanese for Urgent Medical Help: Asking for a Doctor Immediately
Learn to say you need a doctor right away in Japanese, understand Japan's 119 and 110 emergency numbers, and use key phrases for injuries, pain, and allergies during a medical emergency.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When a medical emergency happens in Japan, clear and fast communication matters. This lesson teaches you the exact phrases to request urgent help, describe your situation briefly, and understand which number to call. You will practice the key sentence 今すぐ医者が必要です (ima sugu isha ga hitsuyō desu), learn how to ask someone to call an ambulance, and get familiar with Japan's emergency call system. The focus is on spoken, polite-but-direct Japanese that works when every second counts.
By the end, you can…
- ask for a doctor immediately in clear Japanese.
- request that someone call an ambulance or the police.
- briefly describe pain, injury, or an allergy in an emergency.
- understand and use Japan's emergency numbers 119 and 110.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
今すぐ医者が必要です。
I need a doctor immediately.
ima sugu isha ga hitsuyō desu
The core emergency request. 今すぐ (ima sugu) means 'right now'; 必要です (hitsuyō desu) is a polite but direct way to say 'is necessary.' Use it with strangers, staff, or passersby. Note that 医者 (isha) usually means a physician; for any medical help, 医者 or 救急車 works in context.
救急車を呼んでください。
Please call an ambulance.
kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai
Use when you or someone else cannot move or needs hospital transport. 救急車 (kyūkyūsha) is the ambulance; 呼んでください (yonde kudasai) means 'please call.'
119番に電話してください。
Please call 119.
hyaku jū kyū ban ni denwa shite kudasai
119 is the number for fire and ambulance in Japan. Say this if you cannot make the call yourself. For police, the number is 110 (hyaku tō ban).
痛みがひどいです。
The pain is severe.
itami ga hidoi desu
A short way to describe strong pain. For chest pain, say 胸が痛いです (mune ga itai desu). For a headache, 頭が痛いです (atama ga itai desu).
アレルギーがあります。
I have an allergy.
arerugī ga arimasu
Important for treatment. Add the substance: ペニシリンアレルギーがあります (penishirin arerugī ga arimasu) means 'I have a penicillin allergy.'
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 〜が必要です (〜 ga hitsuyō desu) means 'I need 〜' and is extremely useful in emergencies. Replace the noun before が: 医者が必要です (isha ga hitsuyō desu, 'I need a doctor'), 水が必要です (mizu ga hitsuyō desu, 'I need water'), タクシーが必要です (takushī ga hitsuyō desu, 'I need a taxi'). To make it urgent, add 今すぐ (ima sugu) at the start: 今すぐ医者が必要です。 This is polite enough for any situation and direct enough for an emergency.
When to use it
Use 今すぐ医者が必要です when you are conscious and speaking to someone nearby, such as a station attendant, hotel staff, or a bystander. If the person is unconscious or you cannot speak, point to yourself or the patient and say 救急車を呼んでください (kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai). If you are calling 119 yourself, the operator will ask 火事ですか、救急ですか (kaji desu ka, kyūkyū desu ka, 'Is it a fire or an emergency?'). Answer 救急です (kyūkyū desu, 'It's a medical emergency'). Then give your location and a short description.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、今すぐ医者が必要です。
Excuse me, I need a doctor immediately.sumimasen, ima sugu isha ga hitsuyō desuどうしましたか。救急車を呼びましょうか。
What happened? Shall I call an ambulance?dō shimashita ka. kyūkyūsha o yobimashō kaはい、お願いします。胸が痛くて、息が苦しいです。
Yes, please. My chest hurts and I'm having trouble breathing.hai, onegaishimasu. mune ga itakute, iki ga kurushii desuわかりました。今、119番に電話します。動かないでください。
Understood. I'll call 119 now. Please don't move.wakarimashita. ima, hyaku jū kyū ban ni denwa shimasu. ugokanaide kudasaiA little context goes a long way
In Japan, 119 connects to fire and ambulance services, while 110 is for police. Calls are free and can be made from payphones, including some that work without coins by pressing the emergency button. Ambulance dispatch is generally fast, but you should be ready to state your address or nearest landmark, because GPS location may not be precise. If you are unsure whether it is an emergency, it is still acceptable to call 119 and ask; operators are trained to assess the situation.
One thing to watch for
Using 医者を呼んでください (isha o yonde kudasai) to mean 'call an ambulance.'
Try this instead: 医者を呼んでください literally asks someone to call a doctor, not an ambulance. In an emergency, say 救急車を呼んでください (kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai) to request an ambulance, or 119番に電話してください (hyaku jū kyū ban ni denwa shite kudasai) to ask someone to dial 119.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I need a doctor immediately' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
今すぐ医者が必要です。 (ima sugu isha ga hitsuyō desu)
This uses 今すぐ for 'immediately' and 〜が必要です for 'need.' You could also say 今すぐ医者に会いたいです (ima sugu isha ni aitai desu), but the 必要です pattern is clearer in emergencies.
2Which number do you call for an ambulance in Japan, and how do you ask someone to call it?
Show a sample answer
119番です。救急車を呼んでください。 (hyaku jū kyū ban desu. kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai)
119 is the ambulance and fire number. 救急車を呼んでください asks someone to call an ambulance. For police, the number is 110, but that is not for medical transport.
3You have a severe allergy to penicillin. How do you tell medical staff?
Show a sample answer
ペニシリンアレルギーがあります。 (penishirin arerugī ga arimasu)
This states the specific allergy. You can also say ペニシリンにアレルギーがあります (penishirin ni arerugī ga arimasu). Both are understood; the 〜があります pattern is the most common.
In a Japanese medical emergency, say 今すぐ医者が必要です and ask someone to call 119. Keep your sentences short, state your location, and mention any allergies clearly.
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