“Subito” in Italian
The Italian word subito is an adverb of time that can be translated as “right away” or “immediately”. It’s a very commonly used word that conveys urgency, responsiveness, and efficiency. It’s perfect to express that something will happen in the nearest future.
Be careful with how you pronounce it, though! The accent is on the third to last syllable as if it were sùbito. If you say subìto, you are using the past participle of the verb subire, which means to suffer, to undergo.
Are you ready to see how it is used? Vediamolo subito! (Let’s see it right away!)
How to use “Subito” in Italian
Adverb of Time
Once you start noticing it, you will hear subito everywhere in Italy. Whether you’re in a café, at a business meeting, or just chatting with friends, this word pops up regularly.
One of the most common sentences I heard from my mum when I was still living with my parents was fallo subito (do it immediately). I wasn’t the tidiest daughter!
Luca è arrivato alle 10 ma se ne è andato subito!
Luca arrived at 10 but he left right away!
Here, Luca left right after having arrived. Therefore, the adverb subito is indicating the immediacy with which the subject left.
Although it generally means “immediately”, subito can slightly shift its meaning depending on the context. Sometimes, it can mean “soon”, as in the following example:
Sei a casa? Ti chiamo subito.
Are you home? I’ll call you right away.
This sentence could mean both that you’ll call the person immediately or that you’ll call them within a short period, depending on how quickly you can get to it.
Polite Answer
What I love about subito is the fact that it does not only express urgency but it can also convey politeness or enthusiasm. Italians often use it to show that they’re eager to assist or fulfill a request quickly.
For example, if you’re in a restaurant and ask for something, the waiter might respond with subito! It reassures you that your request is being attended to right away, showing attentiveness and efficiency.
Posso avere un caffè, per favore?
Can I have a coffee, please?
Subito!
Right away!
Subito Dopo
“Subito Dopo” + Noun
Subito dopo indicates something happening immediately after a preceding event and is useful to convey a clear sequence of events.
One of the most common ways to use subito dopo in Italian followed by a noun, to specify that something happens immediately after an event or point in time, for example:
Andiamo a ballare subito dopo cena
We’ll go dancing right after dinner.
Subito dopo la riunione, ci siamo incontrati per un caffè.
Right after the meeting, we met for a coffee.
This structure helps to clearly define the sequence of events, making it useful for storytelling or planning.
“Subito Dopo” + Verb
Subito dopo can also be followed by a past infinitive verb, which is a common structure in Italian used to convey actions that occur immediately after completing another action.
In this case, subito dopo introduces the action that has been completed already, conjugated, indeed, in the past infinitive tense, for example:
Subito dopo essere arrivato, ho iniziato a lavorare.
Right after having arrived, I started working.
