Italian · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Soon" in Italian: presto
presto
Note: also: tra poco
Soon in Italian is presto (PREH-stoh): arrivo presto, ci vediamo presto. Tra poco is a close cousin meaning in a little while.
Texting a friend
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How to pronounce presto
Say it
PREH-stoh
/ˈprɛ.sto/
PREH-stoh, stress on PREH. Same word used for early in other contexts.
"Soon" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| presto | soon; early Time adverb. | Time adverb. |
| molto presto | very soon Stronger near-future. | Stronger near-future. |
| tra poco | in a little while Near future alternative. | Near future alternative. |
| il prima possibile | as soon as possible More formal urgency: al più presto. | More formal urgency: al più presto. |
How to use presto in real life
- 1Texting a friend
Esco di riunione e ti chiamo presto.
I'm leaving a meeting and I'll call you soon.
Presto as soon.
- 2At a clinic
Il dottore arriva presto, cinque minuti.
The doctor will arrive soon, five minutes.
Arriva presto.
- 3Queue talk
Finiscono presto, non preoccuparti.
They'll finish soon, don't worry.
Finiscono presto.
Mistakes English speakers make with presto
Incorrect: Arrivo soon.
Correct: Arrivo presto.
Use presto, not English soon.
Incorrect: Lo faccio in presto.
Correct: Lo faccio presto. / Lo faccio al più presto.
No in before presto in this sense.
Good to know
Presto covers both soon and early, so tone and verbs guide you. Service workers love un momento and presto when they mean the wait is almost over.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Waiting for takeaway pizza
ChatPal
Dicono che la pizza è pronta presto.
They say the pizza will be ready soon.
You
Spero davvero presto: ho una fame incredibile.
I really hope soon: I'm incredibly hungry.
ChatPal
Se non arriva presto, ordiniamo anche un'acqua.
If it doesn't come soon, let's also order a water.
You
Ok. Altrimenti torniamo a casa presto a mangiare.
Ok. Otherwise we'll go home soon to eat.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Soon" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Soon" in Italian
Does presto only mean soon?
No. It also means early. Context decides.
What is tra poco?
In a little while—very close in meaning to soon.
How do I say as soon as possible?
Al più presto.
Is a presto the same?
A presto is the goodbye see you soon.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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