Signification
to have a conversation via phone
Contexte culturel
Italians often use hand gestures even while 'stare al telefono', despite the person on the other end not being able to see them. Phone calls to family members can last a very long time, and 'stare al telefono' is a primary way to maintain family bonds across distances. Being 'al telefono' is a valid and respected reason for being a few minutes late to a meeting, as it implies you were handling business. There is a shift from 'stare al telefono' (talking) to 'stare al cellulare' (scrolling), but the older phrase is still used to scold screen addiction.
Use 'stare' for duration
If you want to emphasize that you've been talking for a long time, 'stare' sounds more natural than 'essere'.
Avoid 'su'
Never say 'su il telefono'. It's the most common mistake for English speakers.
Signification
to have a conversation via phone
Use 'stare' for duration
If you want to emphasize that you've been talking for a long time, 'stare' sounds more natural than 'essere'.
Avoid 'su'
Never say 'su il telefono'. It's the most common mistake for English speakers.
The 'da' rule
Always use 'da' (since/for) with 'stare al telefono' to indicate how long the call has been going on.
Pronto!
When you are 'al telefono', always answer with 'Pronto!' (Ready!) instead of 'Ciao' or 'Sì'.
Teste-toi
Conjugate the verb 'stare' in the present tense.
Scusa, io ______ al telefono con il mio capo proprio ora.
The subject is 'io', so the correct form of 'stare' is 'sto'.
Choose the correct preposition.
Non posso parlare, sono ______ telefono.
The fixed idiom is 'stare/essere al telefono'.
Complete the dialogue with the correct phrase.
A: Perché non hai risposto? B: Scusa, ________ per tutta la mattina.
'Sono stato' is the past tense (passato prossimo) which fits the context of 'all morning'. 'Stavo' could also work but 'sono stato' emphasizes the completed duration.
Match the sentence to the situation.
Sentence: 'Smettila di stare sempre al telefono e mangia!'
The command 'mangia' (eat) clearly points to a mealtime situation.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Preposition Logic
Related Verbs
Action
- • chiamare
- • telefonare
- • squillare
State
- • stare al telefono
- • essere occupato
Ending
- • riagganciare
- • chiudere
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesScusa, io ______ al telefono con il mio capo proprio ora.
The subject is 'io', so the correct form of 'stare' is 'sto'.
Non posso parlare, sono ______ telefono.
The fixed idiom is 'stare/essere al telefono'.
A: Perché non hai risposto? B: Scusa, ________ per tutta la mattina.
'Sono stato' is the past tense (passato prossimo) which fits the context of 'all morning'. 'Stavo' could also work but 'sono stato' emphasizes the completed duration.
Sentence: 'Smettila di stare sempre al telefono e mangia!'
The command 'mangia' (eat) clearly points to a mealtime situation.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsYes, it is perfectly correct and very common. 'Stare' is slightly more informal and emphasizes the state of being occupied.
In Italian, 'al' (at the) is used for devices and stations. You are 'at' the phone, not 'inside' it.
Technically yes, but people often say 'stare in chiamata' or 'stare in videochiamata' for those.
It depends on the context. In a bank line, it's fine. At a family dinner, it's considered quite rude.
You say 'Ero al telefono' or 'Stavo al telefono'.
It's better to say 'stare al cellulare' or 'stare su Instagram'. 'Stare al telefono' usually implies a voice call.
Yes, 'stare al cell' is common among younger people.
Absolutely. 'Il dottore sta al telefono' is a standard office phrase.
There isn't a single word, but you could say 'essere libero' (to be free) or 'riagganciare' (to hang up).
Yes, it becomes 'sono stato' (I have been) or 'stavo' (I was).
Yes, it applies to both landlines and mobiles.
It comes from the early days of operators when you had to confirm you were 'ready' to be connected.
Expressions liées
fare una telefonata
similarto make a phone call
riagganciare il telefono
contrastto hang up the phone
stare attaccato al telefono
specialized formto be glued to the phone
passare al telefono
builds onto put someone on the phone
essere al telefono
synonymto be on the phone
