Ready

Italy is quick and ready!

One of the more commonly heard words in the Italian dialog is “pronto”.

Pocket Oxford Italian Dictionary ©2006 Oxford University Press:
ˡpronto adjective ready; (rapido) quick;

When you answer the telephone to say “Hello”, you say “Pronto”.
When you announce a meal by yelling “Dinner!”, you yell “Pronto”.
When you have an emergency and are looking for the ER, you seek “Pronto Soccorso”.
When you need transportation, you ride the “Pronto Bus”.
When you need birth-control, you reach for the “Pronto Condom”.
When you are hungry, you eat “Pronto Pizza”.
When you are still hungry, you eat “Pronto Pasta”.


“Pronto” is also used in the context of “Good and ready”, “Ready and willing”, and “Armed and ready.”

“Ready! Set! Go!” is “Pronti! Via!”

To encourage speed, you might exclaim "Pronto!"

And, to question preparedness, you might simply inquire “Pronto?”

But of all the prontos, there’s nothing like the sound of “Pronto!” at noon on a Friday. The outdoor wood-burning stone oven, sizzling for Bread-Day, hosts our lunch. On a warm day, we eat outside. I can smell the homemade crust even before I see it encircling the steamy center of our pizza deluxe: farm grown tomatoes, smoked mozzarella cheese, scattering of anchovies and garlic, and an assortment of meats and veggies.

I am ready!