Aiutu!
Help!
Usage
Shout it to call for help in danger or an emergency
Grammar Note
The masculine noun aiutu (help) used as a cry. The imperative of the verb aiutà (to help) is aiutate
Chjamate un'ambulanza, pè piacè
Please call an ambulance
Usage
Asking a bystander to call an ambulance when someone is ill or hurt
Grammar Note
Chjamate is the 2pl imperative of chjamà (to call); the voi form is used with people you address politely. Pè piacè goes at the end. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Mi anu arrubatu
I have been robbed
Usage
Telling the police or people nearby that you were robbed
Grammar Note
Mi (me) + anu (3pl of avè) + the participle arrubatu: literally "they robbed me", an active construction rather than a passive. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Aghju bisognu di un medicu
I need a doctor
Usage
When you are sick or injured and need to see a doctor
Grammar Note
Avè bisognu di (to need) in the 1sg. The noun bisognu takes no article here. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Induve hè l'ospidale u più vicinu?
Where is the nearest hospital?
Usage
Asking for the closest hospital in an emergency
Grammar Note
Ospidale is masculine and takes l' before a vowel. The superlative is the article + più + adjective (u più vicinu). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Chjamate u 112, pè piacè
Please call 112
Usage
Asking someone to call the emergency number; in France 15 is the ambulance, 17 the police, 18 the fire brigade and 112 the EU-wide number
Grammar Note
Chjamate (2pl imperative of chjamà) + the article u + the number. Corsica uses the French emergency numbers. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Aghju persu u passaportu
I have lost my passport
Usage
Reporting a lost passport to the police or the consulate
Grammar Note
Aghju (1sg of avè) + persu, the participle of perde. After avè the participle does not agree. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Aghju un dulore à u pettu
I have a pain in my chest
Usage
Describing chest pain to medical staff, which can be urgent
Grammar Note
Dulore (pain) and pettu (chest) are both masculine; the place is given with à + article. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Aghju un'allergia à a penicillina
I am allergic to penicillin
Usage
Telling a hospital or pharmacy about a drug allergy
Grammar Note
"To be allergic" is avè un'allergia à ... Allergia is feminine, so the article is un' before a vowel; the phrase works for any speaker. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Aghju bisognu di un interprete
I need an interpreter
Usage
When you cannot make yourself understood at a hospital or police station
Grammar Note
Avè bisognu di + noun. Interprete is a masculine noun and is often used for women as well. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Basta!
Stop it!
Usage
A firm call to make someone stop a nuisance or harassment
Grammar Note
The interjection basta (enough). As a single word it is blunt, so use it to strangers who are bothering you
Ùn mi tuccate!
Do not touch me!
Usage
A strong refusal when a stranger touches you
Grammar Note
Ùn + mi + tuccate, the 2pl of tuccà. Keep the accent on ùn. The plural form is used for one polite addressee or several people. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Pulizza!
Police!
Usage
Called out to get the police or to ask for help
Grammar Note
The feminine noun pulizza (police). In practice the French national police or the gendarmerie respond
L'incendiu
Fire
Usage
A one-word warning when you notice a fire
Grammar Note
The masculine noun incendiu (a large fire). Focu means "fire" in general, while incendiu is the word for a blaze
U ladru
Thief
Usage
The word for a thief, used when reporting or spotting a theft
Grammar Note
The masculine noun ladru (also written latru); the feminine is a ladra
L'arrubecciu armatu
Armed robbery
Usage
Naming an armed robbery in a single phrase
Grammar Note
Arrubecciu (theft) comes from arrubà (to steal); adding armatu (armed) gives the sense of a hold-up. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
U rapimentu
Kidnapping
Usage
The word for a kidnapping, used when telling the police
Grammar Note
The masculine noun rapimentu (abduction, kidnapping)
L'assassiniu
Murder
Usage
The word for a murder, used when reporting a killing
Grammar Note
The masculine noun assassiniu (murder); omicidiu is also used
A bomba
Bomb
Usage
The word for a bomb, used to warn about an explosive
Grammar Note
The feminine noun bomba (bomb), with the article a
Ci hè un incendiu! Fughjite!
Fire! Run!
Usage
Warning people nearby of a fire and telling them to flee
Grammar Note
Ci hè (there is) + noun. Fughjite is the 2pl imperative of fughje (to flee). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Ladru! Firmatelu!
Thief! Catch him!
Usage
Calling on people to stop a thief you have just seen
Grammar Note
Firmatelu is the 2pl imperative firmate of firmà with the pronoun lu (him) attached; pronouns follow the imperative. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Induve hè u cummissariatu di pulizza?
Where is the police station?
Usage
Asking where the police station is to report a crime or ask for help
Grammar Note
Cummissariatu is masculine; di pulizza means "of the police". A gendarmerie post is called a gendarmeria. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Vogliu fà una denuncia pè un arrubecciu
I want to report a theft
Usage
Telling the police you want to file a theft report
Grammar Note
The 1sg vogliu of vulè + an infinitive. Denuncia (report) is feminine; fà una denuncia means "to file a report". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Ci hè qualchissia chì parla giappunese?
Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?
Usage
Looking for a Japanese speaker when you cannot make yourself understood
Grammar Note
Qualchissia (someone) + the relative chì + verb. Language names are lowercase and take no article; giapponese is also written. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Quella persona hè svenuta
This person is unconscious
Usage
Describing a collapsed person when asking for help
Grammar Note
Svenutu (fainted) is an adjective; it agrees with the feminine noun persona, so svenuta, even for a man. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Qualchissia s'annega! Aiutu!
Someone is drowning! Help!
Usage
Calling for help when you see someone drowning in the sea or a river
Grammar Note
Reflexive verb annegassi (to drown), 3sg s'annega. Qualchissia takes a singular verb. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Mi anu battutu
I was beaten up
Usage
Telling the police or a doctor that you were assaulted
Grammar Note
Mi + anu (3pl of avè) + battutu, the participle of batte (to beat); literally "they beat me". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Mi anu pugnalatu
I was stabbed
Usage
Telling the emergency services or police you were stabbed
Grammar Note
Mi + anu + pugnalatu, the participle of pugnalà (to stab); an active form with an unspecified subject. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
I ladri sò intruti in a mo camara
My room was broken into
Usage
Reporting a break-in to your room, for example at a hotel
Grammar Note
Entre (to enter) forms its compound past with esse, and the participle agrees in number (intrutu, intruti). The possessive takes the article: a mo camara. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Quella persona hè u culpevule
That person is the culprit
Usage
Pointing out the person you believe is guilty to the police
Grammar Note
Culpevule (guilty, culprit) has one form for both genders. The demonstrative quella points to something further away. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Mi anu ingannatu
I was deceived
Usage
Telling someone that you were cheated or scammed
Grammar Note
Mi + anu + ingannatu, the participle of ingannà (to deceive); an active form meaning "someone deceived me". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Mi anu arrubatu u portafogliu
My wallet was stolen
Usage
Reporting a stolen wallet to the police or hotel
Grammar Note
Mi + anu arrubatu + the object; the stolen item follows as the direct object. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Aghju scurdatu qualcosa
I left something behind
Usage
When you have left something behind in a shop or taxi
Grammar Note
Avè + scurdatu, the participle of scurdà (to forget). Qualcosa (something) takes no article. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Una vittura m'hà culpitu
I was hit by a car
Usage
Saying you were hit by a car in a traffic accident
Grammar Note
Mi becomes m' before hà. Culpì (to strike) is an -ì verb with the participle culpitu. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Fughjite da l'uscita di sicurità, pè piacè
Please escape through the emergency exit
Usage
Showing others the escape route in a fire or disaster
Grammar Note
Fughjite (2pl imperative of fughje) + da + noun. Uscita di sicurità is "emergency exit". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Attenti!
Watch out!
Usage
A warning about a nearby danger such as traffic or falling objects
Grammar Note
Attenti is used as an interjection (be careful). The noun attenzione (attention) also exists
Fate prestu, pè piacè
Please hurry
Usage
Asking someone to hurry in an illness or accident
Grammar Note
Fate (2pl imperative of fà) + the adverb prestu (quickly); fà prestu means "to hurry". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Vinite subitu, pè piacè
Please come right away
Usage
Asking someone to come immediately when you need help
Grammar Note
Vinite is the 2pl imperative of vene (to come) + the adverb subitu (immediately); the stem vowel differs from the infinitive vene. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Hè un'emergenza
It's an emergency
Usage
Making clear to someone that the situation is urgent
Grammar Note
Emergenza is feminine, so the article is un' before a vowel; urgenza (urgency) can also be used. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Purtatemi à l'ospidale, pè piacè
Please take me to a hospital
Usage
Asking someone to drive you to a hospital when you feel unwell
Grammar Note
Purtate, the 2pl imperative of purtà (to carry, take), with mi (me) attached; the destination is à + article. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Ci hè statu un accidente di vittura
There has been a traffic accident
Usage
Describing the scene when you report a road accident
Grammar Note
Ci hè statu is the compound past of ci hè (there is); accidente di vittura means a car accident. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
More Corsican phrases
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