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Police and trouble

Vocabulary you hope not to need — and the exact sentences if you do.

Quick answer

“It was stolen” is the impersonal укра́ли — “they stole” — with the thing in the accusative: У меня́ укра́ли су́мку.

Who and where

поли́цияpolítsiyapolice
полице́йскийpolitséyskiypolice officer
отделе́ниеotdeléniyepolice station
ско́раяskórayaambulance
свиде́тельsvidételwitness
112sto dvenádtsatthe emergency number

What happened

укра́лиukrálithey stole
поте́рялpoteryálI lost
ограби́лиograbílithey robbed
ава́рияaváriyaaccident
дра́каdrákafight
моше́нникmoshénnikfraudster

Doing something about it

заявле́ниеzayavléniyeformal report
написа́ть заявле́ниеnapisát zayavléniyeto file a report
докуме́нтыdokuméntydocuments
ко́нсульствоkónsulstvoconsulate
перево́дчикperevódchikinterpreter

If something happens

У меня́ укра́ли телефо́н.My phone has been stolen.
Вы́зовите поли́цию!Call the police!
Я хочу́ написа́ть заявле́ние.I want to file a report.
Мне ну́жен перево́дчик.I need an interpreter.
Я не говорю́ по-ру́сски.I don’t speak Russian.

Ask for the заявле́ние

Insurance companies want the stamped заявле́ние from the police station, not a verbal report. The sentence that gets it is Я хочу́ написа́ть заявле́ние. Take your passport and, if you can, someone who speaks Russian.

The emergency numbers

112 works from any phone for everything. Separately: 102 police, 103 ambulance, 101 fire. Your embassy or ко́нсульство is the other number worth saving before you travel.

Typical mistakes

Мой телефо́н был укра́ден — in speech

У меня́ укра́ли телефо́н.

The impersonal third-person plural is the normal form.

мой свиде́тель — meaning a witness statement

заявле́ние

свиде́тель is a person.

Check yourself

How do you say “my phone was stolen”?

Impersonal “they stole” plus accusative.

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