Emergency services
Services d'urgence
- Know the names of emergency services of your new country.
- Calling and advising about situations.
Explore essential emergency vocabulary in French, like pompiers (firefighters), ambulance, and police, through realistic dialogues and past tense verbs for urgent situations such as incendie (fire), accident, and vol (theft).
Vocabulary (13) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. La Croix-Rouge _______ pour aider les personnes en détresse.
(The Red Cross _______ to help people in distress.)2. Le SAMU _______ rapidement lors de l'urgence.
(The SAMU _______ quickly during the emergency.)3. Malheureusement, un pompier _______ en sauvant les victimes de l'incendie.
(Unfortunately, a firefighter _______ saving the victims of the fire.)4. Le commissariat _______ les témoins à déclarer l'agression.
(The police station _______ the witnesses to report the assault.)Exercise 3: An emergency at home
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Appeler - Call
Passé composé
- j'ai appelé
- tu as appelé
- il/elle/on a appelé
- nous avons appelé
- vous avez appelé
- ils/elles ont appelé
Naître - To be born
Passé composé
- je suis né(e)
- tu es né(e)
- il/elle/on est né(e)
- nous sommes né(e)s
- vous êtes né(e)(s)
- ils/elles sont né(e)s
Aider - Help
Passé composé
- j'ai aidé
- tu as aidé
- il/elle/on a aidé
- nous avons aidé
- vous avez aidé
- ils/elles ont aidé
Contacter - Contact
Passé composé
- j'ai contacté
- tu as contacté
- il/elle/on a contacté
- nous avons contacté
- vous avez contacté
- ils/elles ont contacté
Mourir - Die
Passé composé
- je suis mort(e)
- tu es mort(e)
- il/elle/on est mort(e)
- nous sommes mort(e)s
- vous êtes mort(e)(s)
- ils/elles sont mort(e)s
Arriver - Arrive
Passé composé
- je suis arrivé(e)
- tu es arrivé(e)
- il/elle/on est arrivé(e)
- nous sommes arrivé(e)s
- vous êtes arrivé(e)(s)
- ils/elles sont arrivé(e)s
Apprendre - Learn
Passé composé
- j'ai appris
- tu as appris
- il/elle/on a appris
- nous avons appris
- vous avez appris
- ils/elles ont appris
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Naître to be born Share Copied!
Passé composé
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') suis né/née | I was born |
| (tu) es né/née | you were born |
| (il/elle/on) est né/née | he/she/one was born |
| (nous) sommes nés/nées | We were born |
| (vous) êtes né/née/nés/nées | You were born |
| (ils/elles) sont nés/nées | they were born |
Mourir to die Share Copied!
Passé composé
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') suis mort/morte | I died |
| (tu) es mort/morte | You died |
| (il/elle/on) est mort/morte | he/she/one died |
| (nous) sommes morts/mortes | we died |
| (vous) êtes mort/morte/morts/mortes | you died |
| (ils/elles) sont morts/mortes | they died |
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Lesson Overview: Emergency Services in French
This lesson is designed for A2 level learners to navigate essential conversations related to emergency services in French. It covers practical dialogues for contacting firefighters, ambulances, and the police in urgent situations. The lesson also includes verb conjugation exercises focusing on the passé composé tense, which is commonly used to describe past emergency events.
Key Dialogue Topics
- Calling the Fire Department: Practice telephone conversations to report a fire, including providing exact locations and following safety instructions. Example phrase: "Bonjour, je souhaite signaler un incendie dans mon appartement." (Hello, I want to report a fire in my apartment.)
- Requesting an Ambulance: Simulate calls requesting ambulance assistance after accidents. Focus on describing injuries and remaining calm. Example phrase: "Bonjour, je viens d’avoir un accident de voiture, j’ai besoin d’une ambulance." (Hello, I just had a car accident, I need an ambulance.)
- Contacting the Police for Theft: Learn to report thefts, describe stolen items, and provide key details to the authorities. Example phrase: "Bonjour, je veux signaler un vol dans mon appartement." (Hello, I want to report a theft in my apartment.)
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
Some useful words and phrases include:
- incendie — fire
- ambulance — ambulance
- vol — theft
- pompiers — firefighters
- adresse — address
- blessé(e) — injured
Verb Conjugation Focus: Passé Composé
This lesson emphasizes the passé composé tense, essential for describing completed past actions in emergencies. Verbs like appeler (to call), naître (to be born or arise), aider (to help), contacter (to contact), mourir (to die), arriver (to arrive), and apprendre (to learn) are practiced in context.
Mini Story Example
A short narrative recounts a home emergency involving a fire, highlighting practical use of passé composé verbs and emergency expressions for better comprehension and retention.
Comparison Between English and French Emergency Language Usage
While English often keeps emergency communications straightforward, French uses the passé composé frequently to narrate events that have occurred, such as j'ai appelé (I called) or le feu est né (the fire has started). Additionally, French emergency phrases often include polite constructs like je souhaite signaler (I wish to report), which add formality and clarity to urgent calls. It is important to learn both the vocabulary and this polite structure to communicate effectively.
Useful Phrases with English Equivalents
- Je souhaite signaler un incendie. — I would like to report a fire.
- Pouvez-vous me donner votre adresse ? — Can you give me your address?
- Restez calme et éloignez-vous du feu. — Stay calm and move away from the fire.
- Les pompiers arrivent immédiatement. — The firefighters are arriving immediately.
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