Italian · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 11 of 12
Phone calls and messages
Al telefono
Make a phone call in Italian, leave a message, spell your name, say what's happening now with stare + gerund, and use gli and le (to him, to her).
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Make a phone call and leave a message
- Spell your name the Italian way
- Say what's happening right now
- Say to him, to her and to you
Listen
Stefania Quaglia calls an architect's office in Ancona. The architect is busy, so she speaks to his secretary. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Secretary
Studio Rinaldi, buongiorno.
Rinaldi's office, good morning.
Stefania
Buongiorno. Vorrei parlare con l'architetto Rinaldi, per favore.
Good morning. I'd like to speak to Mr Rinaldi, the architect, please.
Secretary
Mi dispiace, in questo momento sta parlando con un cliente. Vuole lasciare un messaggio?
I'm sorry, he's speaking with a client at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?
Stefania
Sì, grazie. Può dirgli che ha chiamato Stefania Quaglia?
Yes, thank you. Could you tell him that Stefania Quaglia called?
Secretary
Come, scusi? Può ripetere il cognome?
Sorry? Could you repeat your surname?
Stefania
Quaglia: Q come Quarto, U come Udine, A come Ancona, G come Genova, L come Livorno, I come Imola, A come Ancona.
Quaglia: Q for Quarto, U for Udine, A for Ancona, G for Genova, L for Livorno, I for Imola, A for Ancona.
Secretary
Grazie. E il Suo numero di telefono?
Thank you. And your phone number?
Stefania
Tre quattro sette, due cinque otto, uno nove zero sei.
Three four seven, two five eight, one nine zero six.
Secretary
Perfetto. L'architetto Le telefona oggi pomeriggio.
Perfect. Mr Rinaldi will phone you this afternoon.
Stefania
Grazie. Gli dica anche che ho mandato le foto della cucina per e-mail.
Thank you. Please also tell him that I've sent the photos of the kitchen by email.
Secretary
Certo. Arrivederci, signora Quaglia.
Of course. Goodbye, Ms Quaglia.
Stefania
Arrivederci.
Goodbye.
Understand
Happening now: stare + gerund
To say that something is happening right now, use + the gerund, the “-ing” form: (he's speaking). -Are verbs end in -ando ( → ), and -ere and -ire verbs in -endo ( → , → ). gives .
The simple present also works for “I'm working”, but + gerund stresses that it's going on at this moment. You'll see it a lot in messages: (I'm on my way!)
| Person | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| (I'm working.) | ||
| (What are you doing?) | ||
| / / | ||
| (We're on our way.) | ||
| (Are you eating?) | ||
To him, to her: gli, le, Le
Many verbs connect to a person with (to): (to say to), (to phone), (to write to), (to send to). Instead of + a person, you can use a short pronoun: → (I'll phone him).
You already know some of these pronouns from , and They go before the verb, or join an infinitive: …? or …? (Could you tell him…?). In everyday Italian, also means “to them”; in formal writing you may see after the verb instead: .
| Pronoun | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| to me | (Will you write to me?) | |
| to you | (I'll phone you tonight.) | |
| to him | (I'll tell him to call.) | |
| to her | (I'll send her a message.) | |
| to you (Lei) | (He'll phone you today.) | |
| to us | (She often writes to us.) | |
| to you (voi) | (I'll send you the photos.) | |
| to them | (I'll phone them tomorrow.) |
On the phone
To spell a name, Italians say each letter with the name of a town: (A for Ancona). Letters like j, k, w, x and y are only used in foreign words, so they are spelt with foreign words too: , .
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| Hello? (answering the phone) | |
| Who's speaking? | |
| It's Stefania. | |
| One moment, please. | |
| I'll call back later. | |
| How do you spell it? |
More in the grammar: Present tense: regular verbs · The Italian alphabet and pronunciation · Object pronouns: lo, la, li, le, gli… · The gerundio and participle phrases
New words
- lo studiooffice (of a professional); study · masculine; = Rinaldi's office
- l'architettoarchitect · masculine; used as a title:
- in questo momentoat the moment, right now
- sta parlandohe / she is speaking · + gerund
- il cliente / la clienteclient, customer
- lasciare un messaggioto leave a message
- direto say, to tell · irregular: …; = can you tell him
- il cognomesurname · masculine; = first name
- A come AnconaA for Ancona · spelling with town names
- Suoyour (polite) · = your number (Lei); feminine:
- telefonare ato phone, to call · = he'll phone you
- la fotophoto · feminine; the same in the plural:
- per e-mailby email · also: ; an email = or
Practise
1.A friend calls and asks what you're doing right now. You're reading. What do you say?
2.Complete with the gerund of .
The architect is speaking with a client.
3.Say “I'll phone him tomorrow.”
I'll phone him tomorrow.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Would you like to leave a message?
5.Complete: “Vedo Marta stasera. ___ do il libro.” (to her)
6.Match the Italian with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Pronto, sono Marco. Posso parlare con Anna?
Hello, it's Marco. Can I speak to Anna?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.