pronto
/PRON-toh/
soon
Pronto (Adverb): Visualizing speed and immediacy, like a bird arriving at its destination without delay, representing 'soon' or 'quickly'.
pronto(Adverb)
📝 In Action
Nos vemos pronto.
A1See you soon.
La cena estará lista pronto.
A1Dinner will be ready soon.
Termina la tarea pronto para que podamos jugar.
A2Finish the homework quickly so we can play.
Este año, la primavera llegó muy pronto.
B1This year, spring arrived very early.
💡 Grammar Points
An Adverb That Stays the Same
When 'pronto' means 'soon' or 'quickly', it's an adverb. This means it describes an action and never changes its ending. It's always 'pronto', never 'pronta' or 'prontos'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Pronto' and 'Temprano'
Mistake: "Quiero despertar pronto mañana."
Correction: Quiero despertar temprano mañana. (I want to wake up early tomorrow.) 'Pronto' means 'soon', while 'temprano' means 'early' in the sense of time of day.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Common Goodbye
'Hasta pronto' is a very friendly and common way to say 'See you soon'. It's a great alternative to 'adiós' when you expect to see the person again.
The Surprise of 'De pronto'
When you see 'de pronto', it almost always means 'suddenly' or 'all of a sudden'. For example, 'De pronto, empezó a llover' means 'Suddenly, it started to rain'.
Pronto (Adjective): Showing readiness and preparedness, like a child waiting poised and ready to begin an activity.
📝 In Action
Estoy pronto para salir.
B1I am ready to leave.
Ella es una mujer pronta y decidida.
B2She is a quick and decisive woman.
Dieron una pronta respuesta a nuestra solicitud.
B2They gave a quick response to our request.
💡 Grammar Points
An Adjective That Changes
When 'pronto' is an adjective meaning 'ready' or 'quick', it describes a person or thing. This means it has to change to match what it's describing: 'pronto' (masculine), 'pronta' (feminine), 'prontos' (masculine plural), 'prontas' (feminine plural).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting to Change the Ending
Mistake: "La comida está pronto."
Correction: La comida está pronta. Because 'comida' is a feminine word, the adjective describing it must also be feminine.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Listo' vs. 'Pronto' for 'Ready'
In many places, especially in everyday conversation, it's more common to use 'listo/lista' to say someone is 'ready'. 'Pronto/pronta' can sound a little more formal in this context.
Pronto (Noun): Depicting a sudden, strong, and momentary release of energy, symbolizing an emotional outburst or impulse.
📝 In Action
En un pronto de ira, golpeó la mesa.
C1In an outburst of anger, he hit the table.
Le dio un pronto y decidió viajar por el mundo.
C1He had a sudden impulse and decided to travel the world.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Word for Readers
This meaning is almost exclusively found in writing. It's great to recognize it when you're reading, but you probably won't need to use it yourself when speaking.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pronto
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence is correct?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'pronto' and 'rápido'?
Great question! 'Pronto' often refers to time, meaning 'soon'. 'Rápido' refers to speed, meaning 'fast' or 'quickly'. If you're finishing a task, you could do it 'pronto' (soon) or 'rápido' (quickly), and the meaning is similar. But you can't say 'el coche es pronto' (the car is soon); you must say 'el coche es rápido' (the car is fast).
Why do Italians say 'Pronto?' on the phone?
In Italian, 'pronto' is the standard way to answer the phone, and it means 'Ready?' as in 'I'm ready to talk'. While Spanish and Italian both get the word from Latin, this is a specific use that only developed in Italian. In Spanish, you would answer with '¿Hola?', '¿Diga?', or '¿Bueno?' depending on the region.