Emergency

1. 救命！

   cieu5 min6

   Help!

   Usage

   A shout for help when life is in danger

   Grammar Note

   A common travel expression. 救命 (cieu5 min6).

2. 叫警察！

   ciau5 cin5 tshaq7

   Call the police!

   Usage

   Asks bystanders to call the police

   Grammar Note

   叫 (ciau5) is "call", 警察 (cin5 tshaq7) is "police".

3. 我要看醫生

   ngu6 iau5 khoe5 i1 san1

   I need to see a doctor

   Usage

   Says that you need a doctor

   Grammar Note

   A common travel expression. 看 (khoe5) is also used for "seeing" a doctor.

4. 我生病勒

   ngu6 san1 bin6 leq8

   I'm sick

   Usage

   Says you are ill

   Grammar Note

   A common travel expression. 生病 (san1 bin6) is "to fall ill".

5. 我勿舒服

   ngu6 veq8 sy1 voq8

   I'm not feeling well

   Usage

   Lighter way to say you feel unwell

   Grammar Note

   舒服 (sy1 voq8) means "comfortable, well"; the negator is 勿.

6. 最近個醫院勒啥地方？

   tsoe5 jin6 geq8 i1 yoe6 leq8 sa5 di6 faon1

   Where is the nearest hospital?

   Usage

   Asks where the closest hospital is

   Grammar Note

   Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 醫院 (i1 yoe6) is "hospital"; 最近 means "closest" here.

7. 我護照勿見脫勒

   ngu6 wu6 tsau5 veq8 ci5 theq7 leq8

   I've lost my passport

   Usage

   Reports a lost passport

   Grammar Note

   勿見脫勒 means "has gone missing". 護照 (wu6 tsau5) is a passport.

8. 有人偷脫我個錢包

   yeu6 gnin6 theu1 theq7 ngu6 geq8 zhi6 pau1

   Someone stole my wallet

   Usage

   Reports a theft

   Grammar Note

   Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 偷 (theu1) is "steal"; 脫 marks completion. 錢包 is a Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese readings.

9. 我對搿種藥過敏

   ngu6 te5 geq8 tson5 yaq8 ku5 min5

   I'm allergic to this medicine

   Usage

   Tells medical staff about a drug allergy

   Grammar Note

   Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 過敏 is a Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese readings.

10. 麻煩儂叫救護車

    mo6 ve6 non6 ciau5 cieu5 wu6 tsho1

    Please call an ambulance

    Usage

    Asks someone to call an ambulance

    Grammar Note

    救護車 (cieu5 wu6 tsho1) is a Shanghainese word.

11. 我要尋領事館

    ngu6 iau5 zhin6 lin6 zy6 kuoe5

    I need to contact the consulate

    Usage

    Says you need to reach your consulate

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 尋 (zhin6) is "look for". 領事館 is a Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese readings.

12. 覅碰我！

    viau6 ban6 ngu6

    Don't touch me!

    Usage

    Firmly refuses unwanted contact

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 碰 (ban6) is "touch".

13. 走開！

    tseu5 khe1

    Go away!

    Usage

    Tells a pestering person to leave

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. It is blunt, so use it only when threatened.

14. 著火勒！快跑！

    zaq8 hu5 leq8 khua5 bau6

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Warns people of a fire

    Grammar Note

    著火 is "catch fire"; 快跑 (khua5 bau6) is "run fast".

15. 小偷！

    shiau5 theu1

    Thief!

    Usage

    A shout when something has been stolen

    Grammar Note

    小偷 (shiau5 theu1) is a Shanghainese word.

16. 扒手

    bo6 seu5

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    Warns about a pickpocket

    Grammar Note

    扒手 (bo6 seu5) is "pickpocket".

17. 搶劫！

    chian5 ciq7

    Robbery!

    Usage

    Alerts people to a robbery

    Grammar Note

    A word shared with Mandarin. A Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese character readings.

18. 炸彈！

    tso5 de6

    Bomb!

    Usage

    Warning when an explosive is seen

    Grammar Note

    炸彈 (tso5 de6) is a Shanghainese word.

19. 殺人！

    saq7 gnin6

    Murder!

    Usage

    A cry on witnessing a killing

    Grammar Note

    A word shared with Mandarin; 殺 reads saq7. A Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese character readings.

20. 麻煩儂叫消防車

    mo6 ve6 non6 ciau5 shiau1 baon6 tsho1

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

    Asks someone to call a fire engine

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 消防車 is a Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese readings.

21. 派出所勒啥地方？

    pha5 tsheq7 su5 leq8 sa5 di6 faon1

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Looks for the nearest police post

    Grammar Note

    派出所 (pha5 tsheq7 su5) is a Shanghainese word; it is a local police post.

22. 有人會講日文伐？

    yeu6 gnin6 ue5 kaon5 zeq8 ven6 va6

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Looks for a Japanese speaker

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 日文 (zeq8 ven6) is a Shanghainese word.

23. 有人昏倒勒！

    yeu6 gnin6 huen1 tau5 leq8

    Someone has collapsed!

    Usage

    Calls for help for an unconscious person

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. A Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese character readings.

24. 有人落水勒！

    yeu6 gnin6 loq8 sy5 leq8

    Someone is drowning!

    Usage

    Calls for help when someone falls into water

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. A Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese character readings.

25. 有人打我

    yeu6 gnin6 tan5 ngu6

    Someone hit me

    Usage

    Reports an assault

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 打 (tan5) is "hit".

26. 有人騙我

    yeu6 gnin6 phi5 ngu6

    Someone cheated me

    Usage

    Reports being swindled

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 騙 (phi5) is "deceive".

27. 我物事忘記帶勒

    ngu6 meq8 zy6 maon6 ci5 ta5 leq8

    I left something behind

    Usage

    Says you forgot to take something

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 忘記 (maon6 ci5) is "forget"; 物事 is "things".

28. 有部車撞到我勒

    yeu6 bu6 tsho1 zaon6 tau5 ngu6 leq8

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Reports being hit by a vehicle

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 撞 (zaon6) is "collide"; 部 is the vehicle classifier.

29. 請走太平門

    chin5 tseu5 tha5 bin6 men6

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Directs people to the emergency exit

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 太平門 (tha5 bin6 men6) is the term for an emergency exit in Shanghai and nearby.

30. 當心！

    taon1 shin1

    Watch out!

    Usage

    A warning shout

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 當心 (taon1 shin1).

31. 麻煩儂馬上過來

    mo6 ve6 non6 ma6 zaon6 ku5 le6

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Asks someone to come immediately

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 馬上 (ma6 zaon6) is a Shanghainese word.

32. 搿個是緊急情況

    geq8 geq8 zy6 cin5 ciq7 zhin6 khuaon5

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    Stresses that the situation is urgent

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. A Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese character readings.

33. 麻煩儂帶我去醫院

    mo6 ve6 non6 ta5 ngu6 chi5 i1 yoe6

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    Asks to be taken to hospital

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. 帶 (ta5) is "take (someone)".

34. 出車禍勒！

    tsheq7 tsho1 wu6 leq8

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Announces a road accident

    Grammar Note

    Composed with regular Shanghainese grammar. A Mandarin-origin word read with Shanghainese character readings.

35. 我勿認得路勒

    ngu6 veq8 gnin6 teq7 lu6 leq8

    I'm lost

    Usage

    Says you have lost your way

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 認得 (gnin6 teq7) is "to recognise, know".

36. 我要尋律師

    ngu6 iau5 zhin6 liq8 sy1

    I want to talk to a lawyer

    Usage

    Asks for a lawyer

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 律師 (liq8 sy1) is a lawyer.

37. 我用一用儂個電話好伐？

    ngu6 yon6 iq7 yon6 non6 geq8 di6 gho6 hau5 va6

    Can I use your phone?

    Usage

    Asks to borrow a phone to call for help

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 用一用 means "use for a moment".

38. 我受傷勒

    ngu6 zeu6 saon1 leq8

    I'm injured

    Usage

    Says you are hurt

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 受傷 (zeu6 saon1).

39. 是誤會

    zy6 ngu6 we6

    It was a misunderstanding

    Usage

    Clears up a misunderstanding with staff or police

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 誤會 (ngu6 we6).

40. 我嘸沒做錯事體

    ngu6 m6 meq8 tsu5 tshu5 zy6 thi5

    I haven't done anything wrong

    Usage

    Asserts innocence when accused

    Grammar Note

    A common travel expression. 事體 (zy6 thi5) is "matter, affair"; 嘸沒 is "have not".

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