Breakdown of Im Falle eines Unfalls rufen Sie bitte diese Nummer an.
dieser
this / that (fem.: diese, neut.: dieses)
bitte
please
anrufen
to call (by phone)
der Unfall
the accident
die Nummer
the number (on a form, a house, a phone)
im Falle
in the event of
Questions & Answers about Im Falle eines Unfalls rufen Sie bitte diese Nummer an.
Why is there an extra 'e' at the end of Falle?
Why does Unfall have an -s added to the end in eines Unfalls?
This is the genitive case, which shows possession or association (translating to 'of an accident'). Because Unfall is a masculine noun, both its article (eines) and the noun itself (Unfalls) take the genitive ending.
Why doesn't the verb come first, since this is a command (rufen Sie)?
Normally, formal imperatives do start with the verb (e.g., Rufen Sie bitte an). However, you can place a prepositional phrase like Im Falle eines Unfalls at the beginning for emphasis or to set a condition. When you do this, that phrase takes Position 1, and the verb stays firmly in Position 2.
Could I use the verb telefonieren instead of anrufen here?
No, because anrufen means 'to call' and takes a direct accusative object (here, diese Nummer). Telefonieren refers to the general act of talking on the phone, so it cannot take a direct object; you would have to use a preposition, like mit jemandem telefonieren.
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