One of the first things you need to know if you’re considering going to Italy is how to answer the phone in Italian.
Talking on the phone in a foreign country can be intimidating, especially if you’re not fluent.
Don’t worry, though. In today’s post, you’ll learn all about how Italians answer the phone so that you can learn how to do it too.
Let’s find out!
Answering the Phone in Italian
First of all, you need to learn some basic vocabulary in Italian about calling.
Here are some important words and expressions:
chiamare
to call
chiamata
a phone call
numero (di telefono)
phone number
cellulare
mobile phone
telefono
telephone
How to Answer the Phone in Italian?
Let’s now focus on how to answer the phone in Italian.
Here are some expressions to start with:
Pronto
Hello?
Ciao (informal)
Hi
Salve (formal)
Hello
Buongiorno/ Buonasera
Good morning/ Good evening
Chi parla?
Who’s calling?/ Who’s this?
Sono…
It’s…
Mi chiamo…
My name is…
Potrei parlare con…?
Could I speak with…?
Con chi parlo?
Who am I talking to?
Glielo/ Gliela passo subito.
I’ll pass it on to him/ her straight away.
There are three very informal ways to answer the phone in Italian.
We use them if we know the person who’s calling:
Oi!/ Hey!
Hey!
Dimmi!
Tell me!
How to End a Call in Italian?
And here are some expressions to end the call:
Grazie/ Grazie mille
Thanks/ Thanks a lot
Ciao (informal)
Bye
Arrivederci
See you soon
Buona giornata
Have a good day
Buona serata
Have a good evening
What does “pronto” mean in Italian?
Interestingly, in Italian when we answer the phone we don’t say ciao.
Instead, we say pronto.
Pronto literally means “ready”. So, when we answer the phone, we let the person on the other end know that we are ready to talk.
This is why we say pronto to answer the phone.
By the way, if you’re wondering whether you should say pronta if you’re a woman, the answer is no.
You always say pronto.
Italian Phone Conversation | Example
Let’s now have a look at an example of a phone call in Italian:
A: Pronto?
B: Salve, buongiorno. Potrei parlare con Marco?
A: Certo, chi parla?
B: Sono Eleonora.
A: Glielo passo subito.
B: Grazie, arrivederci.
A: Buona giornata.
A: Hello?
B: Hello, good morning. Could I speak with Marco?
A: Sure, who’s calling?
B: It’s Eleonora.
A: I’ll hand it on to him right away.
B: Thanks, see you soon.
A: Have a nice day.
Learn more about Phrasal Verbs in Italian.
Still translating in your head? Wanna speak Italian for real? Check out Stefano's courses to think directly in Italian and become fluent fast!
2 Responses
Is “Pronto” considered formal or informal?I have a friend who answers this way, and I’ve always had this doubt.
Ciao Rose!
“Pronto” is a standard line when you pick up the phone. Then you can say “Ciao”, a bit more informal, or “Salve” + good morning/good night, a bit more formal.
I hope to have answered your question 🙂 so please let me know