Im Notfall rufe ich sofort die Feuerwehr.

Im Notfall rufe ich sofort die Feuerwehr.
In an emergency I call the fire department immediately.
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Questions & Answers about Im Notfall rufe ich sofort die Feuerwehr.

Why is Im Notfall used instead of just In Notfall, and which case is it?
Im Notfall is a fixed adverbial expression meaning “in case of emergency.” The preposition in here indicates a condition (not movement), so it requires the dative case. Notfall is masculine (der Notfall), so in + dem contracts to im. Omitting the article (i.e. saying In Notfall) would be ungrammatical.
Why does the verb rufe come before ich in this sentence?
German main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) rule: the finite verb must occupy the second position. Since the adverbial phrase Im Notfall is in first position, the conjugated verb rufe must come next, and the subject ich follows it.
What part of speech is sofort, and why is it placed where it is?
Sofort is an adverb of time meaning “immediately.” In German word order, time adverbs typically come right after the finite verb but before the direct object. So you get: Verb (rufe) → time adverb (sofort) → object (die Feuerwehr). This order highlights the immediacy of the action.
What case is die Feuerwehr, and how do you know it’s accusative?
Die Feuerwehr is the direct object of rufen (“to call”), so it appears in the accusative case. Because Feuerwehr is feminine, its nominative and accusative articles are both die, but here it functions as an accusative object.
How do I know that Feuerwehr is feminine and takes die?
German noun genders often must be memorized. One helpful tip: compound nouns inherit the gender of their final element. Feuerwehr = Feuer (neuter) + Wehr (feminine), so the whole compound is feminine. Hence you always say die Feuerwehr.
Can I change the word order, for example say Sofort rufe ich im Notfall die Feuerwehr?

Yes. Any element can be moved to first position for emphasis, but the finite verb stays in second slot. For example:

  • Sofort rufe ich im Notfall die Feuerwehr. (Emphasizes immediately.)
  • Im Notfall rufe ich die Feuerwehr sofort. (Stresses the fire department.)
    The basic meaning (“In an emergency, I call the fire department immediately”) stays the same, but you shift the focus.
Could I use a different expression instead of rufe die Feuerwehr, for example kontaktiere ich den Rettungsdienst?

Absolutely. Here are a few alternatives:

  • Im Notfall kontaktiere ich sofort den Rettungsdienst. (“In an emergency, I immediately contact the emergency services.”)
  • Im Brandfall rufe ich die Feuerwehr. (“In case of fire, I call the fire department.”)
  • Ich wähle im Notfall die Nummer 112. (“In an emergency, I dial 112.”)
    Note that Rettungsdienst is masculine (der Rettungsdienst), so it becomes den in the accusative.