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Question for any Italian Speakers?

ChemicallyEnhanced

ChemicallyEnhanced

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Apr 29, 2018
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Why do Italians usually (at least in Italian movies) answer the phone with "pronto/pron-to"? For some reason it is always subtitled as "hello", but I'm pretty sure it means "ready"?
Oh and, I understand "Ciao" is considered very informal, so what would you use instead in more formal situations?
 
ChemicallyEnhanced said:
I think quick/fast is "presto"
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Showing results for pronto from italian to english
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Translation result​

Italian
English

prón·to







ready



Translations of pronto
adjective

ready
pronto, preparato

prepared
preparato, pronto, disposto, preparato in anticipo

set
fissato, stabilito, fisso, pronto, completo, deciso

prompt
pronto, tempestivo, sollecito, immediato, puntuale, preciso

quick
veloce, rapido, pronto, svelto, lesto, vivace

fit
in forma, adatto, idoneo, pronto, appropriato, abile

alert
vigile, attento, sveglio, pronto, svelto

ripe
maturo, pronto, stagionato

game
pronto

speedy
veloce, rapido, pronto

apt
adatto, atto, propenso, pronto, soggetto, intelligente

inclined
inclinato, propenso, incline, pronto, facile
adverb

ready
pronto, disposto, facile, sollecito, alla svelta

pat
pronto, a proposito

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It's common in Spain to answer the phone with 'Speak' (hablar - I think) - which is also nice and direct get to the fucking point.
 
Nas47 said:
Presto is fast.subido-faster,immediately.Never heard very often italians to use pronto for call answer.They have another world,but dont remember.Chao is like hello
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I'm even more confused about answering the phone with "pron-to" than before! lol.
Could it be an old slang or usage that has left common parlance now?

I'm very into Italian giallo films right now. I've seen 28 so far and every single one (that had a character answer a telephone) had them picking up and saying it. Several different actors, directors etc and over several years. But these movies all came out 1964-1987 with an emphasis on the early 70s.
 
Yes its not common now.But....fuck not remember the wright word.Un altimo was hold on.Almost year in Italy spend before years and forget many things
 
Nas47 said:
Hungarian
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I take it you are fluent in Hungarian and English and know some Italian then? Have you studied any other languages?
I love languages and always have a great deal respect for those who speak more than one.
I'm only fluent in English but my French is good enough that I can say most things and if I watch a French language movie I don't need subtitles or anything. I've been learning Spanish over the last year or so (really enjoying it) and have also recently started learning Italian, too, as it shares a lot in common with Spanish so there a good pair to learn together. I don't know that much Italian yet but the Gialli are really helping! Just so long as there is a murder-mystery-crime-spree occurring when I'm in Italy I should be just fine :P 👍
 
Watch "Brutti,sporci e cattivi",Affrica Adio",Mondo Cane" of Giacommo Iakopeti.Oldschool italian classic.Forte!
 
Watch the movie,see subtitles on your own language.This help with studying the language.Yes theres a lot of simmilarities between spanish and italian.But you know in Spain they speak -Four very distinct form of spanish plus Bask language eich is different.Italians also speak different varieties.In Naples they speak napoletano,wich is not like italian
 
It is not especially common but it can be used to answer the phone. In spanish sometimes the word "listo" is used in a similar fashion.

The closest in english is when people answer the phone and say "shoot". But its a bit different. In spanish and Italian pronto/listo is also closer to "what's up".
 
ChemicallyEnhanced said:
I take it you are fluent in Hungarian and English and know some Italian then? Have you studied any other languages?
I love languages and always have a great deal respect for those who speak more than one.
I'm only fluent in English but my French is good enough that I can say most things and if I watch a French language movie I don't need subtitles or anything. I've been learning Spanish over the last year or so (really enjoying it) and have also recently started learning Italian, too, as it shares a lot in common with Spanish so there a good pair to learn together. I don't know that much Italian yet but the Gialli are really helping! Just so long as there is a murder-mystery-crime-spree occurring when I'm in Italy I should be just fine :p 👍
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Russian ofcourse.That was obligatory till the latest 80.
 
negrogesic said:
It is not especially common but it can be used to answer the phone. In spanish sometimes the word "listo" is used in a similar fashion.

The closest in english is when people answer the phone and say "shoot". But its a bit different. In spanish and Italian pronto/listo is also closer to "what's up".
Click to expand...
Ha never know about that"shoot".Man learning all his life
 
ChemicallyEnhanced said:
Why do Italians usually (at least in Italian movies) answer the phone with "pronto/pron-to"? For some reason it is always subtitled as "hello", but I'm pretty sure it means "ready"?
Oh and, I understand "Ciao" is considered very informal, so what would you use instead in more formal situations?
Click to expand...

Native Italian here.

The origin of the term are so old that it is impossible to know for certain how it originated, and its use started to fade after cell phones became popular and you could see who was calling you.
Most people that are 25 or younger probably never used it, but it is still used today by businesses when receiving a call.
I found 2 theories in regards to why it is used:

  1. Back in the day to call someone you had to talk to an operator to make any calls, and up to 1970 you still had to do that to call out of your city.
    The operator would make the connection and then tell you the connection was "pronto" ie ready.

  2. When the phone was introduced it was used mostly by military personnel to receive orders, so a soldier picking up the phone would know that he was going to be talking to a superior and would therefore say "Pronto!" to signal that he was ready to receive instructions.
 
Phobos said:
Native Italian here.

The origin of the term are so old that it is impossible to know for certain how it originated, and its use started to fade after cell phones became popular and you could see who was calling you.
Most people that are 25 or younger probably never used it, but it is still used today by businesses when receiving a call.
I found 2 theories in regards to why it is used:

  1. Back in the day to call someone you had to talk to an operator to make any calls, and up to 1970 you still had to do that to call out of your city.
    The operator would make the connection and then tell you the connection was "pronto" ie ready.

  2. When the phone was introduced it was used mostly by military personnel to receive orders, so a soldier picking up the phone would know that he was going to be talking to a superior and would therefore say "Pronto!" to signal that he was ready to receive instructions.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Exactly the info I wanted :)
 
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