Episode 7 · Words That Actually Come Up
Prego - three meanings of Italy's most useful word
Prego is not just you're welcome. Guess the meaning before it appears - three rounds.
A quick quiz: Laura says prego three ways, Tom tries to keep up.
Laura ·
In this lesson
| Italian | Word for word | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Prego! | you're welcome | the answer to grazie |
| Prego? | what can I get you? / go ahead | what a barista or shop assistant says |
| Prego, si accomodi | please, come in / have a seat | polite, formal |
| Quasi | almost |
Listen to the tone: prego! falls (you're welcome), prego? rises (how can I help?).
The dialogue
Every line from the video, with the English meaning under the Italian.
Laura
Oggi, un quiz: prego!
Today, a quiz: prego!
Tom
Grazie!
Thank you!
Laura
Prego!
You're welcome!
Tom
Easy. Next!
Laura
Buongiorno! Prego?
Good morning! What can I get you?
Tom
Wait... that's prego too?
Laura
Prego, si accomodi.
Please, come in and sit down.
Tom
So prego means... everything?
Laura
Quasi! Grazie... prego!
Almost! Thank you... you're welcome!
The voices in this video are synthetic and the on-screen host is generated. The Italian itself is written and checked by a native speaker.
Ready to speak, not just watch?
Practise these phrases out loud with Laura in a small group or a private lesson.
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