In real life, on the news, or even in movies, it’s a word you can’t avoid. If you're learning German, knowing how to say ambulance in German gives you access to emergency vocabulary, health-related discussions, and helpful phrases for serious situations.

The word is Krankenwagen — pronounced “KRAHN-ken-vah-gen,” with a long ah sound at the beginning and a soft w that sounds like a v in English. The second part, -wagen, sounds like “vah-gen,” similar to the Volkswagen car brand.

Krankenwagen is masculine, so it’s der Krankenwagen. The plural is die Krankenwagen. To better understand articles like der, die, and das, check out my gender video lesson.

It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, because it shows up everywhere — especially in real-life conversations and urgent contexts.

Examples in all four cases:

Nominative:
Der Krankenwagen kommt in fünf Minuten.
The ambulance will arrive in five minutes.

Accusative:
Ruf den Krankenwagen sofort!
Call the ambulance right away!

Dative:
Sie wurde mit dem Krankenwagen ins Krankenhaus gebracht.
She was taken to the hospital in the ambulance.

Genitive:
Die Sirene des Krankenwagens war sehr laut.
The ambulance’s siren was very loud.

Real-World Tips for Learners

Krankenwagen is a compound word: Krank (sick) + Wagen (vehicle or cart). So literally, it means “sickness vehicle.” It’s the standard term for an ambulance in Germany, Austria, and much of the German-speaking world.

Useful phrases:

• einen Krankenwagen rufen – to call an ambulance

• mit dem Krankenwagen fahren – to ride in an ambulance

• der Notruf – the emergency call (usually 112 in Germany)

• der Notarzt – the emergency doctor, often in the ambulance

In everyday conversation, Krankenwagen often appears in news stories, emergency descriptions, or past experiences — like accidents or fainting spells.

Beginner dialogue using Krankenwagen:

A: Was ist passiert?
B: Jemand ist gestürzt. Wir brauchen einen Krankenwagen!
A: What happened?
B: Someone fell. We need an ambulance!

Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Krankenwagen.

“Hast du schon einmal einen Krankenwagen gerufen – oder bist du selbst darin gefahren?”
Have you ever called an ambulance — or ridden in one yourself?

Say your answer out loud in German and include Krankenwagen in the sentence.

Duden entry for “Krankenwagen”

German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say ambulance in German — and how der Krankenwagen connects to real emergencies and practical speaking situations.

Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and keep building your vocabulary for everyday confidence.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Krankheit — essential for medical and emotional conversation.
Or revisit Krebs — a deep word with medical, astrological, and biological uses.