Skip to content

ascolto

listening

noun ah-SKOHL-toh Rare
Communication Speech

Origin: From Latin auscultare, 'to listen attentively'.

Also means

audience (broadcasting)

Usage Note

Ascolto can mean the act of listening (essere in ascolto, to be listening in) or, in media contexts, audience ratings (gli ascolti televisivi, TV ratings). The phrase dare ascolto a qualcuno means 'to heed someone'. Unlike udito (the sense of hearing as a faculty), ascolto implies active, attentive listening.

Examples

"Il programma ha ottenuto ottimi ascolti."

Natural Translation

The programme got excellent ratings.

Explore Italian by topic