German word

Notfall

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈnoːtˌfal/

Meaning

  • masculine nounemergency

Example

Im Notfall rufen Sie bitte die Notrufnummer an.

In an emergency, please call the emergency number.

Illustration for Notfall (emergency)

More examples

Haben Sie einen Notfallplan für Zuhause?

Do you have an emergency plan for your home?

Core concept

A serious incident triggers an alarm and brings urgent medical or practical assistance into focus.

Common phrases

  • Notfallnummer

    emergency number

  • Notfallplan

    emergency plan

  • Notfallkontakt

    emergency contact

Similar words

Notlage: An urgent predicament that cannot be managed without help from others.
Notruf: A telephone call placed to summon emergency assistance.
Krise: A serious breakdown or period of instability in political, economic, or social affairs.
Gefahr: A threat of harm to personal safety, property, or well-being.

Definition in German

Ein akuter Vorfall, der rasche Hilfe oder sofortige Maßnahmen nötig macht.

Word origin

Notfall joins Not, the German noun for distress or urgent need, with Fall, which developed from the idea of something that happens or occurs.

Usage tips

  • Notfall names the emergency itself, while dringend usually describes a request, task, or need as urgent rather than naming the crisis.

Opposites

  • Normalfallnormal casenoun
  • Regelbetriebnormal operationnoun

Related words

  • Notfallnummeremergency numbernoun
  • Notfallplanemergency plannoun
  • Notfallversorgungemergency medical carenoun

Word lists with this word