You're welcome in Italian is Prego (PREH-goh), the standard reply to grazie with anyone. Among friends, Di niente (it's nothing) and Figurati (don't mention it) are just as common; to someone you address as Lei, figurati becomes Si figuri. Non c'è di che is a slightly more formal "not at all".
- Standard
- Prego
- Casual
- Di niente / Di nulla
- Don't mention it (tu)
- Figurati
- Don't mention it (Lei)
- Si figuri
- Not "you're welcome"
- Benvenuto (welcome to a place)
- Level
- A1
Prego, di niente or figurati: what is the difference?
All of them are correct replies to grazie. They differ in warmth and in whether the verb has to match tu or Lei.
| Italian | Roughly | Register | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prego | You're welcome | Neutral | Anyone: shops, strangers, friends |
| Di niente / Di nulla | It's nothing | Casual | Small favours between friends |
| Figurati | Don't mention it | Informal (tu) | Friends: "oh, don't mention it" |
| Si figuri | Don't mention it | Formal (Lei) | A stranger thanks you warmly |
| Non c'è di che | Not at all | Slightly formal | Polite replies to strangers or in writing |
| Ci mancherebbe! | Of course, no need to thank me | Warm | A friend or neighbour thanks you for a real favour |
| È stato un piacere | It was a pleasure | Warm, polite | After a real favour or a long conversation |
Prego comes from pregare, to pray or to ask, so its literal sense is "I beg you": an old courtesy that has become an everyday word.
What else does prego mean?
Prego is one of the busiest words in Italian. Apart from you're welcome, it invites people to go ahead, come in, sit down or speak. In shops and restaurants you will hear it constantly.
Prego, si accomodi.
Please, take a seat.
Formal, to someone you address as Lei.
Prego, entra pure.
Come in, please.
Informal, tu.
Prego, dopo di Lei.
After you, please.
Prego, mi dica.
Yes, how can I help?
A shop assistant or waiter inviting you to order.
Prego?
Pardon? / Sorry?
Asking someone to repeat, politely.
So when you say grazie and hear prego, it is the reply. When you walk into a shop and hear prego first, it means "go ahead, what would you like?"
What if nobody says prego?
Not every grazie gets a reply. A quick one in passing is often left hanging, or answered with a smile or a nod.
How to give the thanks in the first place is on how to say thank you in Italian. If someone apologises rather than thanks you, prego is the wrong reply; the right ones are on how to say sorry in Italian.
Read an A2 Italian comedy set in Milan, and tap any word for its meaning.
Read free in your browserWhy not say benvenuto?
Because benvenuto means welcome only in the sense of "welcome to our home" or "welcome to Italy". It is never a reply to thanks. The ending changes with the person: benvenuto to a man, benvenuta to a woman, benvenuti to a group.
Benvenuti a Napoli!
Welcome to Naples!
Benvenuta a casa nostra.
Welcome to our home.
To a woman.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce prego?
"PREH-goh", with the stress on the first syllable, an open e and a hard g as in "go". The r is a single tap of the tongue.
Is prego polite enough for a stranger?
Yes. Prego is neutral and works with anyone, which is why it is the safest reply to learn first. Figurati is only for people you call tu; with strangers use si figuri.
What does figurati mean literally?
It is the tu imperative of figurarsi, to imagine: roughly "imagine that!", as in "the very idea that you'd need to thank me". The Lei form is si figuri, and to a group, figuratevi.
What do you say when someone thanks you for a meal?
A host might answer È stato un piacere (it was a pleasure) or Figurati, è stato bello averti qui (don't mention it, it was lovely having you here). Prego also works.