Meaning & use
prego
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivenot comparableinformalhumorous
Informal and often humorous word meaning pregnant.
Grammar: Used before a noun, e.g., 'a prego woman', or after a linking verb, e.g., 'She is prego.'
Patterns
- be prego
- a prego woman
My sister is prego again, so we're having a baby shower.
He joked that his wife was prego after they bought a minivan.
The movie character announced she was prego in a comedic scene.
interjectioninformal
Italian word used in English to mean 'you're welcome' or 'please, come in', often when imitating Italian.
Grammar: Standalone interjection; used to respond politely or invite someone in.
When I thanked him, he smiled and said, 'Prego!'
She opened the door and said, 'Prego, come in.'
In the Italian restaurant, the waiter greeted us with a cheerful 'Prego!'
Common combinations
- prego woman
- She played a prego woman in the comedy sketch.
- be prego
- I can't believe she's prego again!
- say prego
- He said 'prego' when someone thanked him.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pregnant
- The standard, neutral term; use it in formal contexts instead of 'prego'.
- expecting
- A polite euphemism; more formal than 'prego' and often used in announcements.
- with child
- Old-fashioned or literary; not suitable for casual speech like 'prego'.
Commonly confused: prego or prego?
prego vs prego
Not to be confused with the Italian word 'prego' meaning 'you're welcome', which is a separate interjection.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'prego' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Prego' is an informal adjective meaning pregnant, so 'She is prego' is correct. The other options use 'prego' as a verb or noun, which is not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “prego”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.