pronto

See also: prónto

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish pronto, from Latin prōmptus. Doublet of prompt.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɒntəʊ/, [ˈpʰɹɒntʰəʊ̯]

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɑntoʊ/, [ˈpʰɹɑntʰoʊ̯], [ˈpʰɹɑnoʊ̯]
• Rhymes: -ɒntəʊ

Adverb

pronto (not comparable)

1. (informal) Quickly, very soon, promptly.

   I need to finish this assignment pronto.

   • 2024 September 12, Sam Damshenas, “‘A new direction for the franchise’: Drag Race UK stars on “mind-blowing” season 6”, in Gay Times‎^[1], archived from the original on 13 January 2026:

     “ […] I burst through the door with a pregnancy bump and shouted at him, pretending to be his mistress. I’ve never seen a man look so horrified in his life. I then went into a spontaneous lip-sync of ‘I Will Survive’.” (We need footage, pronto.)

   • 2023, translated in 2025, Berta Páramo and translated by Marc Correa Haro, Lice: How to Survive on Humans, page 74:

     You really can't handle hot weather. If a host has a fever, get out of there pronto.

Translations

quickly

• Bulgarian: бързо (bg) (bărzo), веднага (bg) (vednaga)
• Czech: rychle (cs), okamžitě (cs), fofrem
• Danish: omgående, med det samme
• Finnish: pikaisesti (fi)
• French: illico (fr)
• Icelandic: tafarlaust, eins og skot
• Italian: subito (it), il prima possibile
• Portuguese: logo (pt)
• Russian: быстро (ru) (bystro), ско́ро (ru) (skóro)
• Spanish: pronto (es)

Adjective

pronto (comparative more pronto, superlative most pronto)

1. (informal, rare) Quick, prompt.
   • 2014, Gurpareet Bains, “Turkey Meatloaf”, in The Superfood Diet, Bath, Somerset: Absolute Press, →ISBN, “Lunch” section, page 77:

     For a pronto lunch, take a slice or two to work and team with a tasty salad.

   • 2019, Allen Knox, “Under the Rabbit Skin”, in Afternoon Solipsism (Insinmind; 1), Bloomington, Ind.: Balboa Press, →ISBN:

     In pronto reaction time, Zeth chose to drive a black armored truck, […]

   • 2020, Douglas J. Alford, “Dinos to Dinner”, in Stories – of Self & Sharing, Alford Books, →ISBN, page 8:

     Wow! With a pronto 'Poof' from Funky, Bronto the Brontosaurus appears.

Derived terms

• pronto pup

See also

• pronto plate

Anagrams

• Porton, proton

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin prōmptus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɾonto/ [ˈpɾõn̪.t̪o]
• Rhymes: -onto
• Syllabification: pron‧to

Adverb

pronto

1. early

   Synonym: llueu

2. soon

   Synonym: ceo

Galician

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?

Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?

Proto-Indo-European *pér

Proto-Indo-European *-o

Proto-Indo-European *pró

Proto-Indo-European *pro-

Proto-Italic *pro-

Latin prō-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁em-

Proto-Indo-European *-eti

Proto-Indo-European *h₁émeti

Proto-Italic *emō

Latin emō

Latin prōmō

Proto-Indo-European *-tus

Proto-Italic *-tus

Latin -tus

Latin prōmptusder.

Galician pronto

Derived from Latin prōmptus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɾonto/ [ˈpɾon̪.t̪ʊ]
• Rhymes: -onto
• Hyphenation: pron‧to

Adjective

pronto (feminine pronta, masculine plural prontos, feminine plural prontas)

1. prompt, speedy
2. ready, at the ready; willing

   Estades prontos? ― Are you ready?

   • 1861, José Sánchez de Santamarina, transl., Gospel of Matthew, page 115:

     Que si ben o esprito está pronto, a carne sin embargo é fraca

     Because even if the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak

Adverb

pronto

1. soon

   Synonyms: axiña, decontado

2. early

   Synonym: cedo

   Antonym: tarde

References

• Antón Santamarina, editor (2006–2013), “pronto”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, Ernesto X. González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “pronto”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “pronto”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Italian

Etymology

From Latin prōmptus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpron.to/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -onto
• Hyphenation: prón‧to

Adjective

pronto (feminine pronta, masculine plural pronti, feminine plural pronte, superlative prontissimo)

1. ready, prepared

   È pronto il pranzo? ― Is lunch ready?

2. willing, prompt, set

Derived terms

• prontamente
• pronto soccorso

Noun

pronto m (plural pronti)

1. ready-made

Interjection

pronto

1. (telephony) hello (when answering the phone)

Further reading

• “pronto”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026

Ladino

Etymology

Derived from Latin promptus. Cognate with Spanish pronto.

Adjective

pronto (Hebrew spelling פרונטו)

1. prepared; ready

   Synonym: preparado

   • 20th century, Horozlu‎^[2]:

     Para los ke estan prontos para kazar Vijtad el Magazen HOROZLU onde topareş vistidos modernos, Bonjures, Frakes, Işmoken, komple i kon presios baratos.

     For those who are ready to marry, visit the HOROZLU shop, where [it has] topareş modern clothes, Bonjures, Frakes, Işmoken and it completes with low prices.

Adverb

pronto (Hebrew spelling פרונטו)

1. immediately; now

   Synonyms: apunto, imediatamente, luego, pishin

   • 2006, יעקב כולי, מעם לועז בראשית: לקט : בצירוף מבואות, גלוסאר ומפתחות‎^[3], הוצאת מכון מעלה אדומים, →ISBN:

     El rey respondio diziendo: "Pronto".

     The king replied saying, 'Now.'

Derived terms

• prontamente

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• prompto (pre-standardization spelling)

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?

Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?

Proto-Indo-European *pér

Proto-Indo-European *-o

Proto-Indo-European *pró

Proto-Indo-European *pro-

Proto-Italic *pro-

Latin prō-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁em-

Proto-Indo-European *-eti

Proto-Indo-European *h₁émeti

Proto-Italic *emō

Latin emō

Latin prōmō

Proto-Indo-European *-tus

Proto-Italic *-tus

Latin -tus

Latin prōmptuslbor.

Portuguese pronto

Learned borrowing from Latin prōmptus. Doublet of prompt.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈpɾõ.tu/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈpɾõ.tu/

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -õtu
• Hyphenation: pron‧to

Adjective

pronto (feminine pronta, masculine plural prontos, feminine plural prontas, comparable, comparative mais pronto, superlative o mais pronto or prontíssimo, diminutive prontinho, augmentative prontão)

1. ready, finished

   O jantar está pronto.

   Dinner is ready.

   • 1880, Maria Amalia Vaz de Carvalho, “A perceptora [The preceptress]”, in Contos e phantasias [Short stories and fantasies]‎^[4], 2nd edition, Lisbon: Parceria Antonio Maria Pereira, published 1905, page 214:

     — Aqui me tem, prompto a luctar peito a peito contra o seu infortunio, e a vencêl-o.

     “Here you have me, ready to fight chest-to-chest against your misfortune, and to win against it.”

2. (by extension, of an answer) fast; instant; immediate (that does not delay)
3. (by extension) fit, prepared
4. (military) free, idle

   Synonyms: desocupado, ocioso

5. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) present
6. (Brazil, slang) penniless

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:pronto.

Adverb

pronto

1. (uncommon) promptly

Derived terms

• pronto-atendimento
• pronto-socorro

Interjection

pronto

1. (telephony) hello (greeting when picking up the phone or answering someone who has hung the doorbell)

   Synonyms: alô, estou

2. there, done

   Pronto, entreguei minha redação!

   There, I handed over my essay!

3. (Northeast Brazil) all right, OK, sure

   A: Podemos ir para a casa dele hoje à tarde.
   B: Pronto!

   A: We can go to his home this afternoon.
   B: All right!

Noun

pronto m (plural prontos)

1. (military) trained soldier (soldier who completed their training period)

Further reading

• “pronto”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “pronto”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), São Paulo: 7Graus, 2009–2026
• “pronto”, in Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisboa: Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, 2001–2026
• “pronto”, in Dicionário Infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “pronto”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN
• “pronto”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?

Proto-Indo-European *per-der.?

Proto-Indo-European *pér

Proto-Indo-European *-o

Proto-Indo-European *pró

Proto-Indo-European *pro-

Proto-Italic *pro-

Latin prō-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁em-

Proto-Indo-European *-eti

Proto-Indo-European *h₁émeti

Proto-Italic *emō

Latin emō

Latin prōmō

Proto-Indo-European *-tus

Proto-Italic *-tus

Latin -tus

Latin promptusder.

Spanish pronto

Derived from Latin promptus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɾonto/ [ˈpɾõn̪.t̪o]
• Rhymes: -onto
• Syllabification: pron‧to

Adjective

pronto (feminine pronta, masculine plural prontos, feminine plural prontas)

1. prompt, on time
2. ready
   • 1915, Julio Vicuña Cifuentes, Mitos y Supersticiones Recogidos de la Tradición Oral Chilena, page 268:

     Las liebres duermen con los ojos abiertos, para hacer creer a sus enemigos que están despiertas y prontas para huir.

     Hares sleep with their eyes open, to fool their enemies into thinking they're awake and ready to flee.

Derived terms

• a bote pronto
• aprontar
• de pronto
• hasta pronto
• por de pronto
• por lo pronto
• tan pronto

Adverb

pronto (superlative prontísimo)

1. soon

   Synonym: en poco tiempo

Usage notes

• Used in different contexts from English pronto.

Derived terms

• de pronto
• hasta pronto
• que se dice pronto

Further reading

• “pronto”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025