Whether planning a trip to Tamil Nadu or simply wanting to be prepared for emergencies, learning Tamil emergency phrases is an essential skill for any traveler. From basic phrases like “Help me!” or eṉakku utavu (எனக்கு உதவு) and “Call the police!” to more specific expressions like pōlisaik kūppiṭu (போலிஸைக் கூப்பிடு!), having these phrases in your language toolkit can be a lifesaver in times of crisis. Let’s get to know more about all the best phrases to use in this post!
Emergencies can be frightening, especially when traveling for the first time in an unfamiliar place. In such situations, communicating effectively with locals and emergency services can make all the difference. This is why learning Tamil, mainly Tamil emergency phrases, is important for travelers visiting Tamil Nadu. In my experience, having at least a few expressions ready in your sleeves is a surefire way to make your journey a lot easier than ever.
Let’s go over that and more in the sections below!
Tamil Emergency Phrases Related To Robbery & Theft
In cases of robbery (கொள்ளை or Kollai) or theft (திருட்டு or Tiruttu), learning how to ask for help in the local language can literally save your life. To help you in this situation, we rounded up below the best phrases to use when speaking to the locals or the police.
| English | Tamil | Pronunciation |
| Can you help me? | நீங்கள் எனக்கு உதவ முடியுமா? | Nīṅkaḷ eṉakku utava muṭiyumā? |
| I need to talk to a lawyer | நான் ஒரு வழக்கறிஞரோடு பேசணும் | Naan oru valakaringarodu pesanum |
| It’s urgent | இது அவசரமானது | Itu avacaramāṉatu |
| One o’clock in the morning | காலை ஒரு மணி | Kaalai oru mani |
| What’s happened? | என்ன நடந்தது? | Eṉṉa naṭantatu? |
| There has been a robbery. | கொள்ளை நடந்துள்ளது. | Koḷḷai naṭantuḷḷatu. |
| How much money have you lost? | நீங்கள் எவ்வளவு பணத்தை இழந்தீர்கள்? | Nīṅkaḷ evvaḷavu paṇattai iḻantīrkaḷ? |
| Thief | திருடன்! | Tiruṭaṉ! |
Tamil Emergency Phrases Related To Road Accidents
In case of a road accident (சாலை விபத்து Cālai vipattu), here are some phrases you can use.
| English | Tamil | Pronunciation |
| I need help. | எனக்கு உதவி தேவை. | Eṉakku utavi tēvai. |
| I’ve been in an accident. | நான் விபத்தில் சிக்கியிருக்கிறேன். | Nāṉ vipattil cikkiyirukkiṟēṉ. |
| I don’t need a doctor. | எனக்கு டாக்டர் தேவையில்லை. | Eṉakku ṭākṭar tēvaiyillai. |
| I am alright. | நான் நன்றாக இருக்கிறேன். | Nāṉ naṉṟāka irukkiṟēṉ. |
| How much blood have you lost? | நீங்கள் எவ்வளவு இரத்தத்தை இழந்தீர்கள்? | Nīṅkaḷ evvaḷavu irattattai iḻantīrkaḷ? |
| A pint | ஒரு பைண்ட் | Oru pint. |
| Does anyone have water? | யாரிடமாவது தண்ணீர் இருக்கிறதா? | Yāriṭamāvatu taṇṇīr irukkiṟatā? |
| I have a bottle | என்னக்கு ஒரு பாட்டில் | Ennakku oru bottle |
| Can I pay the fine now? | நான் இப்போது அபராதம் கட்டலாமா | naan ippothu abaraatham kattalaama |
| Need a car for rent | வாடகைக்கு ஒரு கார் வேணும் | Vaadagaikku oru car venum |
| Where is the atm? | atm எங்க இருக்கு | atm enga irukku |
Tamil Emergency Phrases Related To Health
As much as we do not want to think about the negatives when traveling, we cannot deny that a health emergency (சுகாதார அவசரநிலை Cukātāra avacaranilai) may arise at any time. According to the locals, one of the top reasons why travelers visiting Tamil Nadu feel sick may be because of what they ate in a restaurant. To help you out, here are the best phrases to learn.
| English | Tamil | Pronunciation |
| Can I see this menu? | நான் இந்த மெனுவை பார்க்கலாமா | Naan intha menuvai parkkalama |
| Table is per person | மேஜை ஒரு நபருக்கு | Maejai oru nabarukku |
| I’ll take this | நான் இதை எடுத்து கொள்கிறேன் | Naan idhai eduthu kolgiren |
| What is the closing time? | மூடும் நேரம் என்ன | Mudum neram enna |
| I am vegetarian | நான் சைவம் | Naan saivam |
| Is alcohol available here? | மது இங்க கிடைக்குமா | Madhu inga kidaikkuma |
| I can’t drink | நான் குடுக்க முடியாது | Naan kuduka mudiyadhu. |
| I have finished. | நான் முடித்து விட்டான் | Naan mudithu vitean. |
| What was in the dish? | பாத்திரத்தில் என்ன இருந்தது? | Pāttirattil eṉṉa iruntatu? |
| Can I see? | நான் பார்க்கலாமா? | Naan parkkalaamaa? |
| I think I am feeling sick. | எனக்கு உடம்பு சரியில்லை என்று நினைக்கிறேன். | Eṉakku uṭampu cariyillai eṉṟu niṉaikkiṟēṉ. |
| Please call a doctor. | தயவுசெய்து மருத்துவரை அழைக்கவும். | Tayavuceytu maruttuvarai aḻaikkavum. |
| How much medicine do you need? | உங்களுக்கு எவ்வளவு மருந்து தேவை? | Uṅkaḷukku evvaḷavu maruntu tēvai? |
| A bottle | ஒரு பாட்டில் | Oru bottle |
| Where can I keep it? | நான் அதை எங்கே வைத்திருக்க முடியும்? | Nāṉ atai eṅkē vaittirukka muṭiyum? |
| I have a cup | என்னக்கு ஒரு கப் | Ennakku oru cup. |
| You will need water. | உங்களுக்கு தண்ணீர் தேவைப்படும். | Uṅkaḷukku taṇṇīr tēvaippaṭum. |
| I have a glass | என்னக்கு ஒரு கிளாஸ் | Ennakku oru glass |
| How far is the nearest hospital? | அருகில் உள்ள மருத்துவமனை எவ்வளவு தூரம்? | Arukil uḷḷa maruttuvamaṉai evvaḷavu tūram? |
| One more round | இன்னும் ஒரு ரவுண்டு | Innum oru round |
| It is after the roundabout. | இது ரவுண்டானாவுக்குப் பிறகு. | Itu ravuṇṭāṉāvukkup piṟaku. |
Tamil Phrases To Ask For Help
When you go into a new city, it is always a good idea to be in touch with your local Embassy and have a set of phone numbers in case of emergencies. Although not all South Asian countries are the same, many will find a critical situation spiral into something much worse when it’s found that they are a foreigner. To quickly ask for help, check out these phrases.
| English | Tamil | Pronunciation |
| I need some help. | எனக்கு கொஞ்சம் உதவி தேவை. | Eṉakku koñcam utavi tēvai. |
| Can you help me? | நீங்கள் எனக்கு உதவ முடியுமா? | Nīṅkaḷ eṉakku utava muṭiyumā? |
| HELP! HELP ME! | உதவி! எனக்கு உதவுங்கள்! | Utavi! Eṉakku utavuṅkaḷ! |
| Can I ask for some assistance? | நான் ஏதாவது உதவி கேட்கலாமா? | Nāṉ ētāvatu utavi kēṭkalāmā? |
| I need a favor. | எனக்கு ஒரு உதவி வேண்டும். | Eṉakku oru utavi vēṇṭum. |
What To Do In Tamil Nadu To Stay Safe
- Dress modestly especially respecting religious areas and temples
- Make sure that any payments are made in lose cash (keep change and small money); do not lose sight of your credit or debit card
- Accepting food or drink from local vendors or street people is not recommended
- Accepting to hitch a ride with someone is not recommended
Learn Tamil With Ling
When visiting Tamil Nadu, it’s important to remember that while Tamil is the predominant language, you may also encounter individuals who speak English. However, it’s worth noting that even those who speak English may have a Tamil accent, which can impact pronunciation and comprehension. Our advice? Learn Tamil through Ling today!
With its gamified approach to language learning, a Ling subscription gives you unlimited access to a range of in-depth language lessons in 60+ languages and features like voice recognition, vocabulary-building games, challenging quizzes, and a chatbot that’ll make learning Tamil fun and engaging. Ready to give it a spin? Download the Ling app on the Apple Store or Google Play Store today!
