A patient arrives at the urgences by ambulance. The paramedic gives you a rapid handover, the family is asking questions simultaneously, and you have 90 seconds to decide on the next action. The language barrier in these moments is not just frustrating — it can be dangerous. These are the phrases that matter most in urgent and emergency situations in French healthcare settings.
The French Emergency System: What You Need to Know First
Before the phrases, a brief orientation. France has two main emergency numbers:
- 15 — the SAMU (Service d’Aide Médicale Urgente), the medical emergency service. For life-threatening medical emergencies.
- 18 — the fire brigade (pompiers), also a first responder for medical emergencies in many regions.
- 112 — the European emergency number, reaches both services.
The urgences (emergency department) in a French hospital uses a triage system called the CCMU (Classification Clinique des Malades aux Urgences), rating patients from 1 (stable) to 5 (immediate life-threatening). When you hear a colleague say « c’est un CCMU 4 », you know resuscitation may be needed.
For broader context on how French hospitals are organised, see French hospital culture: what to expect.
First Contact: Rapid Assessment Phrases
These are the questions you ask in the first two minutes — fast, direct, and essential.
- Pouvez-vous m’entendre ? — Can you hear me?
- Êtes-vous conscient(e) ? — Are you conscious?
- Avez-vous mal quelque part ? — Do you have pain anywhere?
- Où avez-vous mal ? — Where does it hurt?
- Depuis combien de temps êtes-vous comme ça ? — How long have you been like this?
- Est-ce que vous pouvez respirer normalement ? — Can you breathe normally?
- Avez-vous des douleurs dans la poitrine ? — Do you have chest pain?
- Avez-vous des antécédents cardiaques ? — Do you have a cardiac history?
- Prenez-vous des médicaments ? — Are you taking any medication?
- Avez-vous des allergies ? — Do you have any allergies?
Common Emergency Presentations: Key Phrases by Situation
Chest pain and cardiac emergencies
- La douleur irradie-t-elle dans le bras gauche ou la mâchoire ? — Does the pain radiate to the left arm or jaw?
- Avez-vous des sueurs, des nausées ? — Do you have sweating, nausea?
- On suspecte un infarctus du myocarde. — We suspect a myocardial infarction.
- Je vais vous poser un ECG. — I’m going to do an ECG.
- Il faut appeler la coronarographie en urgence. — We need to call for emergency angiography.
Breathing difficulties
- Êtes-vous asthmatique ? — Are you asthmatic?
- Vous avez du mal à respirer depuis quand ? — How long have you been having difficulty breathing?
- On va vous mettre sous oxygène. — We’re going to put you on oxygen.
- Je vous administre un bronchodilatateur. — I’m giving you a bronchodilator.
- La saturation est à combien ? — What is the oxygen saturation?
Loss of consciousness and neurological emergencies
- Il / Elle a perdu connaissance. — He / She lost consciousness.
- A-t-il / elle fait des convulsions ? — Did he / she have convulsions / a seizure?
- Depuis combien de temps est-il / elle inconscient(e) ? — How long has he / she been unconscious?
- On suspecte un AVC. — We suspect a stroke. (AVC = Accident Vasculaire Cérébral)
- Il faut faire un scanner en urgence. — We need an emergency CT scan.
- Y a-t-il une paralysie faciale ? Une déviation de la bouche ? — Is there facial paralysis? Mouth drooping?
Trauma and injuries
- Comment s’est produit l’accident ? — How did the accident happen?
- Pouvez-vous bouger les doigts / les orteils ? — Can you move your fingers / toes?
- Y a-t-il un saignement actif ? — Is there active bleeding?
- On va immobiliser le membre. — We’re going to immobilise the limb.
- Il faut une radio / un scanner. — We need an X-ray / CT scan.
For the underlying vocabulary for pain and injury descriptions, see our guide on pain, symptoms and injuries in French.
Resuscitation and Critical Care
These phrases are used in the most acute situations. In a real resuscitation, French teams use concise commands — brevity is essential.
- Il / Elle ne respire plus. — He / She is not breathing.
- Pas de pouls. — No pulse.
- On commence la réanimation. — We’re starting resuscitation.
- Appelez le médecin de garde. — Call the on-call doctor.
- Préparez l’adrénaline. — Prepare the adrenaline.
- Choc électrique externe — écartez-vous ! — External electric shock — stand clear!
- Je reprends les compressions. — I’m resuming compressions.
- On arrête la réanimation. — We’re stopping resuscitation.
Communicating with the Patient’s Family
Families in the French emergency system are often kept waiting in a separate area (la salle d’attente des familles). When you speak to them, your language must be clear but also careful about prognosis.
- Votre proche est pris en charge en ce moment. — Your loved one is being cared for right now.
- Son état est stable pour l’instant. — His / her condition is stable for now.
- Son état est sérieux. — His / her condition is serious.
- Nous faisons tout notre possible. — We are doing everything we can.
- Je ne peux pas vous donner plus d’informations pour l’instant. — I cannot give you more information right now.
- Avez-vous ses papiers d’identité et sa carte Vitale ? — Do you have his / her ID and health insurance card?
- Êtes-vous la personne de confiance désignée ? — Are you the designated trusted person? (the French equivalent of next of kin for medical decisions)
Handover Phrases
Transferring a patient between departments or teams requires a concise verbal summary. French medical teams often use a structured handover format based on the SAED or SBAR method (Situation, Antécédents, Évaluation, Décision).
- Je vous transmets le patient de la chambre 4. — I’m handing over the patient in room 4.
- Il est admis pour…, les constantes sont stables. — Admitted for…, vital signs are stable.
- À surveiller en priorité : la tension / la saturation / le débit urinaire. — Monitor as a priority: blood pressure / saturation / urinary output.
- Il attend les résultats du scanner. — He is waiting for the CT scan results.
- La famille a été prévenue. — The family has been informed.
Practising Emergency French Before You Need It
Emergency language only works if it is automatic. Reading this list once will not be enough. The most effective approach is role-play with a colleague or language partner, simulating the triage conversation until your responses are immediate. Create flashcard sets organised by emergency type — cardiac, neurological, trauma — and drill them regularly.
If you work in nursing, our article on medical French for nurses covers the day-to-day phrases that complement emergency communication. For the full expression set across all clinical situations, see our list of 50 essential medical expressions for healthcare professionals.
Next step: Identify the two or three emergency scenarios you are most likely to encounter in your setting, and memorise the phrases for those situations first.