pronto
Lemma Details
Translation: soon; quickly; promptly; early; readily
Part of Speech: adverb
Etymology: From Latin 'promptus' meaning 'ready, at hand, prepared', which is the past participle of 'promere' ('to bring forth'). The English word 'prompt' shares this Latin root, making it a cognate. The evolution from 'ready' to 'quickly' shows how preparedness became associated with speed of action in both languages.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of being 'prompt' (on time) for an appointment - that's being 'pronto'.
- Remember the English phrase 'pronto!' meaning 'do it quickly!' - it's borrowed directly from Spanish.
- Associate it with a prompt response - something that happens quickly or soon.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'pronto' is used frequently in everyday conversation to indicate both immediacy and a near future. It's also commonly used in phone conversations as a way to say goodbye, similar to 'talk to you soon' in English.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'pronto' primarily means 'soon' or 'quickly' as an adverb, 'listo' means 'ready' or 'clever' as an adjective. They can overlap in meaning when 'pronto' is used as an adjective meaning 'ready'.
Confused word:
Estoy listo para salir.
I'm ready to leave.
Notes: In some contexts, 'pronto' can be used as an adjective meaning 'ready', but this usage is less common than its adverbial meaning.
Mnemonic: Think: 'pronto' is about time (soon), while 'listo' is about state (ready).
Explanation: 'Pronto' means 'soon' or 'quickly', while 'temprano' specifically means 'early' in relation to a schedule or expected time.
Notes: Both can sometimes be translated as 'early' in English, but with different connotations.
Mnemonic: 'Temprano' relates to time of day (like 'temporal'), while 'pronto' relates to duration or immediacy.