Spanish Phrase
¿Qué se hace primero en una emergencia?
Meaning
This question asks for the first step that should be taken when an emergency occurs. It is a neutral, polite way to request a sequence of actions, whether in a medical, fire, or safety context.
When to use
Use this phrase when discussing emergency protocols, asking a colleague, a teacher, or a first‑responder for the initial action to take in a crisis situation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Quésehaceprimeroenunaemergencia?
¿Qué (interrogative)
The word 'qué' with an accent asks 'what' in a question; never omit the accent.
se (passive/impersonal)
The pronoun 'se' creates a passive or impersonal construction, equivalent to 'one' or 'you' in English.
hace (verb hacer)
Third‑person singular present of 'hacer' meaning 'to do' or 'to make'.
primero (adverb)
Used as an adverb meaning 'first' (order of actions).
en una emergencia (prepositional phrase)
Introduces the context; 'en' = 'in', 'una emergencia' = 'an emergency'.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué se hace primero en una emergencia?
What do you do first in an emergency?
Lo primero es llamar al número de emergencias y luego evaluar la situación.
The first thing is to call the emergency number and then assess the situation.
✕Common Mistakes
Que se hace primero en una emergencia?
Missing the accent changes the meaning; 'que' is a conjunction, not a question word.
¿Qué se hace primera en una emergencia?
‘Primera’ is an adjective; here we need the adverb ‘primero’.
¿Qué se hago primero en una emergencia?
The verb must agree with the impersonal ‘se’; use ‘hace’, not ‘hago’.
↔Alternatives
¿Cuál es la primera acción en una emergencia?
What is the first action in an emergency?
¿Qué se debe hacer antes que nada en una emergencia?
What should be done before anything else in an emergency?
En una emergencia, ¿qué se hace primero?
In an emergency, what do you do first?
Cultural Tip
Emergency numbers vary across Spanish‑speaking countries: 112 works in most of Europe, 911 in Mexico and parts of Central America, 999 in Spain, and 911 or 107 in Argentina. When you ask this question in a formal setting, it’s polite to use the formal 'usted' form in the follow‑up answer (e.g., 'Lo primero que debe hacer…').