Warnings, prohibitions, and emergency notices
What you'll be able to do
Attention/Danger/Interdit are the warning trio. France: 112 emergency. Quebec: 911.
- Attention = warning; Danger = danger; Interdit / Défense de / Ne pas = forbidden.
- Eau non potable = don't drink (common on park / fountain taps).
- France emergency: 112 (general), 18 (fire), 15 (SAMU), 17 (police).
Warning words you'll see on signs, packaging, and machinery:
• Attention — Watch out / Warning.
• Danger — Danger.
• Interdit / Défense de... — Forbidden / No...
• Ne pas... — Do not...
• Risque de... — Risk of...
• Eau non potable — Non-drinkable water (often on outdoor taps in parks).
• Ne pas se pencher au dehors — Do not lean out (classic train-window sign).
• Réservé au personnel — Staff only.
• Issue de secours — Emergency exit.
• Premiers secours — First aid.
• En cas d'urgence... — In case of emergency...
• Pompiers — Fire brigade (general-purpose emergency in France: 18 from a landline, 112 from a mobile).
• SAMU — French ambulance / emergency medical service (15).
• Police-secours — Emergency police (17).
• In Quebec: 911 is universal (same as US/Canada).
Pharmacy cross is green and lit — the universal sign of an open pharmacy. Outside hours, the cross is dark; for after-hours pharmacy info look for pharmacie de garde notices.
Key points
- Attention = warning; Danger = danger; Interdit / Défense de / Ne pas = forbidden.
- Eau non potable = don't drink (common on park / fountain taps).
- France emergency: 112 (general), 18 (fire), 15 (SAMU), 17 (police).
- Quebec emergency: 911 (universal).
- Pharmacie de garde = on-duty pharmacy out-of-hours.
Ask a tutor
Paste this lesson into a chat with your question. Claude is a patient French tutor — try asking for extra examples, pronunciation tips, or a Quebec-vs-France comparison.