Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| emergencia | /emeɾˈxenθja/ /emeɾˈxensja/ |
feminine |
| urgencia | /uɾˈxenθja/ /uɾˈxensja/ |
feminine |
The term refers to a situation requiring urgent assistance. In a hospital setting, the term sala de emergencias is used to mean an emergency room. To describe a state of emergency, you can use the formal phrase Situación de emergencia or Caso de emergencia to refer to an emergency case.
Which one should you use?
While both words imply urgency, emergencia is used for a sudden, unexpected event requiring immediate action, such as a disaster or an accident. In contrast, urgencia often refers to the level of priority or the speed required, such as an urgent medical matter or an urgent task.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term apuro is used to convey a sense of urgency or a difficult situation, but it is not typically used to describe a true emergency.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of emergencia is emergencias. Both emergencia and urgencia are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/emeɾˈxenθja/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, you will see signs for Urgencias rather than Emergencias to mark the entrance to the emergency room.
- The word emergencia shares a common ancestor with the English word 'emerge'. Both come from the Latin 'emergere', meaning 'to rise up' or 'to come forth'.
- The Spanish verb urgir is used not only for medical needs but also to express a strong personal desire or need for something to happen quickly.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuál es la emergencia?What is the emergency?This sentence is useful for asking what the emergency is.Tatoeba #2001711 by marcelostockle, translation #1886727 by CC
- ¿Cuál es su emergencia?What is your emergency?This sentence is useful for asking what someone's emergency is.Tatoeba #2001714 by marcelostockle, translation #1886725 by CK
- Es una emergencia, Tom.It's an emergency, Tom.This sentence is useful for telling someone that there is an emergency.Tatoeba #4798076 by Shishir, translation #2546474 by CK
- ¡Por favor, necesito ayuda! Hay una emergencia en mi hogar. ¿Podría llamar al número de emergencias?Please, I need help! There is an emergency at my home. Could you call the emergency number?
- 63 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Daniel are working at a hospital reception desk.
- MaríaHay una emergencia en la sala de espera.There is an emergency in the waiting room.
- DanielVoy de inmediato, María.I am going immediately, María.
- MaríaGracias, Daniel, la situación parece grave.Thank you, Daniel, the situation seems serious.
- DanielNo te preocupes, yo me encargo.Don't worry, I'll take care of it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “emergency” translations and entries emergencia, urgencia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries emergencia, urgencia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
