prontito
/pɾontito/from spelling rules
The English word "soonish" can be translated into Spanish as prontito.
prontito is a colloquial term that conveys the idea of "soon" in a friendly and informal way.
Which one should you use?
While prontito is a single word, you might also use the phrase En nada to mean "in no time" or the phrase Dentro de poquito to mean "in a little while/shortly."
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase Dentro de poquito is commonly used in Latin American countries.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾontito/
Did you know?
- In some regions, using a diminutive like prontito can actually be used ironically to imply that something is actually going to take a very long time.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying something will happen prontito is often a polite social lubricant used to end a conversation, and it may not actually commit the speaker to a specific time.
- The word pronto is a linguistic relative of the English word 'prompt', as both share roots describing readiness and speed.
Examples in context
- Saldré de casa dentro de poquito.I'll leave home soonish/in a little while.
- Llegaremos prontito.We will arrive soonish.
- Termino el trabajo prontito.I'll finish work soonish.
- Te llamo prontito.I'll call you soonish.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are texting about meeting for coffee.
- Daniel¿A qué hora vienes?What time are you coming?
- SofíaLlego prontito, no te preocupes.I'll be there soonish, don't worry.
- DanielVale, te espero en la cafetería.Okay, I'll wait for you at the coffee shop.
- Sofía¡Nos vemos!See you!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries prontito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
