emergency service
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emergency service
A service that is available for urgent cases outside regular business hours, as well as the organization or people who provide this service. This often applies to doctors, pharmacies, or tradespeople.
Wegen eines Wasserrohrbruchs mussten wir am Sonntag den Notdienst rufen.
Because of a burst water pipe, we had to call the emergency service on Sunday.
'Notdienst' (emergency service) is a compound noun made up of 'die Not' (emergency, danger) and 'der Dienst' (service). So it literally describes a service for emergency situations.
Die Apotheke an der Ecke hat heute Notdienst.
The pharmacy on the corner is providing emergency service today.
The component 'Not-' is used in many German words to express an emergency or urgency. When you see 'Not-', think of words like 'Notfall' (emergency), 'Notruf' (emergency call), or 'Notausgang' (emergency exit).
Im Notfall wählen Sie bitte den Notruf 112.
In an emergency, please dial the emergency number 112.
You can 'rufen' (call), 'anrufen' (call by phone), or 'alarmieren' (alert) the 'Notdienst' (emergency service). Often the type of service is specified, e.g. 'ärztlicher Notdienst' (medical emergency service), 'Apotheken-Notdienst' (pharmacy emergency service), or 'Handwerker-Notdienst' (emergency trades service).
Am Wochenende mussten wir den ärztlichen Notdienst kontaktieren.
At the weekend, we had to contact the medical emergency service.
rescue
'die Rettung' and 'der Notdienst' can both refer to help in urgent situations. 'Die Rettung' usually means the emergency services with an ambulance, that is, help in medical emergencies or accidents. 'Der Notdienst' is broader and refers to a service outside normal hours, for example an emergency pharmacy, an out-of-hours medical service, or a tradesperson dealing with water damage. Learners may confuse the words because both help in emergencies. If someone is seriously injured, you call 'die Rettung'. If the heating breaks down at night or you urgently need a pharmacy, you use 'der Notdienst'.
Am Sonntag suchte Mia den Notdienst der nächsten Apotheke.
On Sunday, Mia looked for the emergency service of the nearest pharmacy.
Nach dem Sturz rief die Lehrerin sofort die Rettung.
After the fall, the teacher called the emergency services immediately.