numeri di telefono
/ˈnu.me.ri di teˈlɛ.fo.no/word by word
The English phrase 'phone numbers' is translated into Italian as numeri di telefono.
numeri di telefono is used to refer to the sequences of digits used to call someone on a telephone. In certain formal situations, Italians might provide their phone numbers with the international dialing code +39.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of numeri (numbers), di (of) and telefono (telephone).
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'phone number' in the singular, change the plural numeri to the singular numero. Note that in the phrase numeri di telefono, the word telefono remains singular even when numeri is plural, because it functions as a descriptor of the type of number.
Did you know?
- When giving a numero di telefono in Italy, people often group digits into pairs or triplets rather than reciting them one by one. This rhythmic grouping is a distinct social convention that helps listeners memorize the sequence more easily.
- If you are asking for someone's 'contact number' rather than just their 'phone number', Italians might use the word recapito, which implies a reachable point of contact.
- The word telefono is a hybrid creation combining the Greek roots 'tele' for 'far' and 'fono' for 'sound'. This makes it a linguistic sibling to words like telefonico and megafono.
Examples in context
- Ci scambiammo i numeri di telefono.We exchanged phone numbers.Tatoeba #11776682 by Guybrush88, translation #3123917 by Hybrid
- Che ne dici di scambiarci i numeri di telefono?What do you say to exchanging phone numbers?Tatoeba #13167120 by Nuel, translation #13167119 by Nuel
- L'idea di scambiarsi i numeri di telefono mi terrorizza, punto e basta.The idea of exchanging phone numbers just terrifies me.Tatoeba #11797750 by Nuel, translation #11797746 by Nuel
- quattro sei uno461
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are at a café discussing their professional contacts.
- LorenzoHai i nuovi numeri di telefono dei clienti?Do you have the clients' new phone numbers?
- SofiaSì, li ho segnati tutti qui.Yes, I wrote them all down here.
- LorenzoPerfetto, mi servono i numeri di telefono per l'ufficio.Perfect, I need the phone numbers for the office.
- SofiaTe li invio via email subito.I will send them to you via email immediately.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Numeri, di, telefono) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
