noun
emergency, urgent case
B1
'Notfall' (der Notfall): emergency, urgent case. Masculine noun for sudden dangerous situation; common expression 'im Notfall' (in case of emergency). Plural: Notfälle (Umlaut + -e). Declines: singular genitive des Notfalls, plural die Notfälle. Used in medical and safety contexts. Also appears in compounds and signage.
Examples
Im Notfall rufen Sie bitte die 112 an.
In an emergency, please call 112.
Im Notfall wählen Sie die 112.
In an emergency, call 112.
Die Schilder erklärten, dass im Notfall die Tür benutzt werden sollte, weil die Haupteingänge blockiert waren.
The signs explained that the door should be used in case of emergency because the main entrances were blocked.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture an ambulance racing to the scene for a 'Notfall'.
Notfall sounds like 'not fall' — imagine preventing a fall in an emergency to recall urgent situation.
Der Notfall is masculine — think of 'der' as a strong emergency vehicle (masculine image) arriving.
Notes
Notfall denotes an acute, often life-threatening emergency. It is commonly used with emergency services and numbers.