# hang up the phone



## LiveOn2Wheels

What verb should be used to say.  "hang up" vs "disconnected".  For example, I didn't hang up the phone, I was disconnected".  The words I found on Word Reference seem strange.  "Non sono sospensione, ho disconnetto".  I know this can't be right.  Grazie in anticipo.


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## fran06

LiveOn2Wheels said:


> I didn't hang up the phone, I was disconnected".


 

Non ho attaccato, è caduta la linea.

Hung up = attaccare (il telefono)

Disconnect = cadere la linea (telefonica)

Ciao


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## radiation woman

Hi,

I think in everyday language people say "mettere giu'" for "to hang up" e.g. Ho messo giu' = I hung up the phone.

In posh Italian I think the correct term is riagganciare as in "Ho riagganciato", but please wait for native speaker confirmation on that one.


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## fran06

radiation woman said:


> Hi,
> 
> I think in everyday language people say "mettere giu'" for "to hang up" e.g. Ho messo giu' = I hung up the phone.
> 
> In posh Italian I think the correct term is riagganciare as in "Ho riagganciato"


 

You are right radiation woman,
Hung up: mettere giù; attaccare; riagganciare ( no difference between posh and formal)

Ciao


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## radiation woman

Thanks for confirming Fran06.  Just for non-Italian natives can I point out that "cadere la linea" is not a direct translation of "to be disconnected".  It's a bit tricky to use as the subject is different in English to the subject in Italian i.e. the subject of the Italian expression is the phone line, whereas in English the subject is the person.  Therefore:

E' caduta la linea = We were disconnected/I was disconnected.


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## bieq

Hello,

How would you say "I hung up the phone on her"?

Le ho attaccato il telefono?

Thanks

Ben


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## Necsus

bieq said:


> Hello,
> 
> How would you say "I hung up the phone on her"?
> 
> Le ho (ri)attaccato il telefono (in faccia).
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Ben


 Or also 'ho messo giù'.


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## bieq

> Le ho (ri)attaccato il telefono (in faccia).


 
Ciao, e grazie Necsus. Comunque, qual è la differenza tra dire "attaccare" e "riattaccare"? E poi, devo mettere "in faccia" nella frase o è soltanto un'opzione?

Grazie


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## Necsus

Prego, Ben. I dizionari suggeriscono _riattaccare_, ma ritengo che sia decisamente più usato _attaccare_, soprattutto se dopo si mette _in faccia,_ che si può anche omettere, ma che secondo me ci vuole, per completare la frase.


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## bieq

Grazie!

Lo userò così da allora.

Ben


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## Alxmrphi

Ahhhhhhh, I always thought it was "appendere" - but nobody has used it here? Am I wrong?

[Edit] _Necsus, did you mean "*le* ho messo giù" ? (The question was about 'on her' and in one part (attaccare) you used 'le' but outside the quote you left it out, is that because it shouldn't be used or did you forget it?)_


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## london calling

Hello, Alex!

They must all be having a siesta.

However, rather than "appendere" they use "riappendere": Ho riappeso = I hung up the phone.

As for the question you asked Necsus, I've always used "ho messo giù" by itself (I hung up the phone). When Necsus wakes up  I'm sure he can tell you what he meant better than me!

By the way, down here in the Deep South they also say:

_Mi ha chiuso il telefono in faccia!_


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## Necsus

Alex_Murphy said:


> Ahhhhhhh, I always thought it was "appendere" - but nobody has used it here? Am I wrong?
> 
> [Edit] _Necsus, did you mean "*le* ho messo giù" ? (The question was about 'on her' and in one part (attaccare) you used 'le' but outside the quote you left it out, is that because it shouldn't be used or did you forget it?)_


Hmm... in my opinion _appendere_ is not so commonly used with this meaning. 
And no, I didn't mean '*le* ho messo giù'. Actually pronoun is not indispensable if you know who you are talking with.

Ah ah, Jo! I never sleep, did you forget it?
And when you answer the phone what do you do? Do you open it?


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## london calling

Necsus said:


> Hmm... in my opinion _appendere_ is not so commonly used with this meaning.
> And no, I didn't mean '*le* ho messo giù'. Actually pronoun is not indispensable if you know who you are talking with.
> 
> Ah ah, Jo! I never sleep, did you forget it?
> And when you answer the phone what do you do? Do you open it?


 
Non te la prendere con me, sono i tuoi connazionali che dicono queste cose e le insegnano a noi poveri stranieri!


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## Necsus

london calling said:


> Non te la prendere con me, sono i tuoi connazionali che dicono queste cose e poi le insegnano a noi poveri stranieri!


Ma figurati se potrei mai prendermela con te...! ero solo curioso di sapere che cosa ti avevano spiegato nella precedente lezione di salernitano...


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## Alxmrphi

So if I was to take away from this conversation 3 common ways of saying it (my brain's maximum capacity right now for each topic), it'd be *riappendere* / *attaccare* / _*mettere giù*_ (il telefono) ... do you think there are the best/most common?


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## Necsus

Alex_Murphy said:


> So if I was to take away from this conversation 3 common ways of saying it (my brain's maximum capacity right now for each topic), it'd be *riappendere* / *attaccare* / _*mettere giù*_ (il telefono) ... do you think there are the best/most common?


Alex, I don't know how to tell you, but... there is also a fourth way of saying it: _riagganciare_! So now you have to eliminate one of them!
I'd suggest: 1) (ri)attaccare; 2) metter(e) giù; 3) riagganciare; 4) riappendere.
But wait for other suggestions...


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## Alxmrphi

I've had a word with my brain and he's decided to allow one more entry for 'hang up', so in you come riagganciare, you'll be next to metter(e) giù just so I don't confuse you with the others!  haha


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## Necsus

Anyway, here is what Google says:

ha attaccato il telefono = 476 (123 effettivi);
ha riattaccato il telefono = 317 (99 effettivi);
ha messo giù il telefono = 279 (75 effettivi);
ha riagganciato il telefono = 53 (32 effettivi);
ha riappeso il telefono = 15 (10 effettivi).


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## Zenof

london calling said:


> By the way, down here in the Deep South they also say:
> 
> _Mi ha chiuso il telefono in faccia!_


 
Hi LC,
even in the islands we say _mi ha chiuso il telefono in faccia! _
Usually it's used to interrupt an unpleasant conversation.

Ex: 
A: Cosa è successo? E' caduta la linea?
B: No, mi ha fatto arrabbiare e gli ho chiuso il telefono in faccia!


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## Paulfromitaly

Here we say "*sbattere* il telefono in faccia" or "sbattere giù il telefono".


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## Necsus

Be', scherzando e ridendo, devo prendere atto invece che a quanto pare proprio 'chiudere il telefono' è la locuzione più diffusa nel quotidiano, almeno stando a Google:

_ha chiuso il telefono = 970 (211 effettivi)._

Quindi 'chiudi' pure tranquilla, Jo! nessuno (altro) ironizzerà.


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## london calling

Necsus said:


> Be', scherzando e ridendo, devo prendere atto invece che a quanto pare proprio 'chiudere il telefono' è la locuzione più diffusa nel quotidiano, almeno stando a Google:
> 
> _ha chiuso il telefono = 970 (211 effettivi)._
> 
> Quindi 'chiudi' pure tranquilla, Jo! nessuno (altro) ironizzerà.


E vabbè, per stavolta ti perdono, dai......


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## markruss

radiation woman said:


> Hi,
> 
> I think in everyday language people say "mettere giu" for "to hang up"; e.g. Ho messo giu' = I hung up the phone.
> 
> In posh Italian I think the correct term is riagganciare as in "Ho riagganciato", but please wait for native speaker confirmation on that one.


 
"Mettere giù" is a very familiar phrase - you shouldn't pronunce it with anyone! The verb "riagganciare" means the simple act of leaning old receiver, but is actually used! "Attaccare" is another way to tell "mettere giù", but if you add "in faccia", the person with you are talking imagines that you have slammed this received against his face, disconnetting (as "sbattere in faccia"). "Chiudere la telefonata" is the simpler and neutral way, in every days speaking.


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## giovannino

Paulfromitaly said:


> Here we say "*sbattere* il telefono in faccia" or "sbattere giù il telefono".


 
I think "sbattere il telefono in faccia a qualcuno" (as well as "sbattere giù") is used all over Italy. Is "bang the phone down on someone" the closest translation or are there any other ways of saying this? I think that "hang up on someone" is not as strong.


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## Paulfromitaly

giovannino said:


> I think "sbattere il telefono in faccia a qualcuno" (as well as "sbattere giù") is used all over Italy. Is "bang the phone down on someone" the closest translation or are there any other ways of saying this? I think that "hang up on someone" is not as strong.



You're right: I replied to this



Zenof said:


> Hi LC,
> even in the islands we say _mi ha chiuso il telefono in faccia! _



No one would say "chiudere il telefono" over here


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## Alxmrphi

Slam the phone down


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## Scopa Nuova

Necsus said:


> ..........................
> ..................
> Ah ah, Jo! I never sleep, did you forget it?
> And when you answer the phone what do you do? Do you open it?


 

Ciao Necsus,

Ma......tu non sei l'unico che non dorme mai. E parlando per io stesso solo; si, io apro il _cellulare _quando rispondolo!  Ah, sempre c'è un sapientone. Scusa ma non avevo impedito.

SN


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## You little ripper!

giovannino said:


> I think "sbattere il telefono in faccia a qualcuno" (as well as "sbattere giù") is used all over Italy. Is "bang the phone down on someone" the closest translation or are there any other ways of saying this? I think that "hang up on someone" is not as strong.


I agree with Alex. We generally slam the phone down if we're angry.


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## london calling

Charles Costante said:


> I agree with Alex. We generally slam the phone down if we're angry.


I agree, too!

But what happens if it's a cordless or mobile phone? They haven't got good old-fashioned receivers that you can slam down (or put down, for that matter)!  I mean, if you slam down a receiver, the person on the other end of the line really gets the message (loudly!): it's not the same if you just push a button or something, is it? 

Would we still say "slam the phone down" in this case? Alex and Charles, what do you reckon?


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## rubuk

Ho letto tutta la discussione e non ho trovato buttare giù. Io la uso! E non sono il solo. Non è che capita di sentirla dalle parti dei toscani? Perché altre volte mi par proprio di averla sentita pronunciare da loro.
"Continuava a parlare lei e allora le ho buttato giù il telefono".


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## london calling

rubuk said:


> Ho letto tutta la discussione e non ho trovato buttare giù. Io la uso! E non sono il solo. Non è che capita di sentirla dalle parti dei toscani? Perché altre volte mi par proprio di averla sentita pronunciare da loro.
> "Continuava a parlare lei e allora le ho buttato giù il telefono".


Nel Profondo Sud la si sente e la si usa!


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## You little ripper!

london calling said:


> I agree, too!
> 
> But what happens if it's a cordless or mobile phone? They haven't got good old-fashioned receivers that you can slam down (or put down, for that matter)!  I mean, if you slam down a receiver, the person on the other end of the line really gets the message (loudly!): it's not the same if you just push a button or something, is it?
> 
> Would we still say "slam the phone down" in this case? Alex and Charles, what do you reckon?


In that case we generally hang up in their ear.


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## london calling

Charles Costante said:


> In that case we generally hang up in their ear.


That's what I thought, it's less "violent"! Ta, Charlie!


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## Alxmrphi

Never heard of hanging up someone's ear..
I don't know what would be said on a mobile or a cordless, I think for a cordless house phone you'd still use 'slam' without the action, but not with a mobile, maybe just hang up, or 'put the phone down on him'..


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## london calling

Alex_Murphy said:


> Never heard of hanging up someone's ear..
> I don't know what would be said on a mobile or a cordless, I think for a cordless house phone you'd still use 'slam' without the action, but not with a mobile, maybe just hang up, or 'put the phone down on him'..


To hang up *in* someone's ear, Alex!
Thanks to you, too!

PS I'm not in the habit of slamming down the phone on anyone, as I'm sure you people aren't, it was just curiosity on my part.


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## You little ripper!

Alex_Murphy said:


> Never heard of hanging up someone's ear..
> I don't know what would be said on a mobile or a cordless, I think for a cordless house phone you'd still use 'slam' without the action, but not with a mobile, maybe just hang up, or 'put the phone down on him'..


You could always slam it closed if it's foldable, or hurl it into your bag/carry all to get the same feeling!


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## Alxmrphi

Per venire al dunque, siamo la gente simpatica quando usiamo il cellulare, ma in casa tutti quanti di noi siamo arrabbiati e riattaccare i telefoni?


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## london calling

Alex_Murphy said:


> Per venire al dunque, siamo la gente simpatica quando usiamo il cellulare, ma in casa tutti quanti di noi siamo arrabbiati e riattaccare i telefoni?


Alex!

Forse perchè comprare un cellulare nuovo ci costa molto di più che comprare un nuovo telefono fisso!

I've just thought of something else. If I'm using Skype (the video call function, I mean) and I want to "hang up on" whoever I happen to be talking to.......???? Would we log off? disconnect?


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## Alxmrphi

You've been away too long, disconnect, of course!
Haha because you put 'off' I instantly thought 'thought' should be 'fought, until I realised about the extra -f and it's 'thought of'.
It's either 'disconnect' or 'end' both are used 'end call' .... 'call with Silvio Berlusconi has ended', '... Nicholas Sarkozy has disconnected the call ...'

Though 'disconnect' is also used when there is a problem (and nobody has done anything) .. so the more pure thing is 'end', but yeah 'disconnect' also has the same meaning.


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## giovannino

So, isn't _he banged the phone down on me _used at all? I'm sure I've heard it.


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## Alxmrphi

giovannino said:


> So, isn't _he banged the phone down on me _used at all? I'm sure I've heard it.



I've never heard it and it sounds wrong to me, thought someone somewhere might use it... not to my knowledge though


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## You little ripper!

> So, isn't _he banged the phone down on me _used at all? I'm sure I've heard it.


I've used all of these.

banged the phone down on me

banged the phone down 

banged the phone down on him

banged the phone down on her


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## giovannino

Alex, I don't think it's wrong. It's even listed in a learner's dictionary:

*bang something down* 
_She banged the phone down._
(Longman)

Maybe it's AE?


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## Scopa Nuova

giovannino said:


> Alex, I don't think it's wrong. It's even listed in a learner's dictionary:
> 
> *bang something down*
> _She banged the phone down._
> (Longman)
> 
> Maybe it's AE?


If it's AE, I haven't heard it. 

With all this banging and slamming of phones some of you must be getting some pretty bad phone calls.

SN


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## Alxmrphi

Scopa Nuova said:


> If it's AE, I haven't heard it.
> SN



So it's unusual (/new) to you aswell Scopa?


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## Scopa Nuova

Alex_Murphy said:


> So it's unusual (/new) to you aswell Scopa?


 
Hi Alex,

To me yes. But I don't know all 300 million people in the US. Someone somewhere in the U.S. probably uses it. But I don't believe it's common to say "slam down the phone".

SN


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## Alxmrphi

Ah, well, when it is with anger, we say that over here.


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## You little ripper!

Scopa Nuova said:


> With all this banging and slamming of phones some of you must be getting some pretty bad phone calls.


The key word here is *telemarketers*, SN! Especially when they call at dinner time, which they do because it's the best time to get most people. I would never be rude to anyone (well, hardly ever, anyway  ) so I tell the caller that I'm very busy and could they please give me their home telephone number so I can call them at a more convenient time to me. It always gets the desired result.


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## Alxmrphi

Spare a thought for all those poor backpackers in Sydney having to make those calls, they don't enjoy it! I was one of them once (don't hate me!)

Yeah it's for like telemarkerters and, those even more annoying machines, that's when we'd ... <insert all suggested words> the phone.


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## Scopa Nuova

Charles Costante said:


> The key word here is *telemarketers*, SN! Especially when they call at dinner time, which they do because it's the best time to get most people. I would never be rude to anyone (well, hardly ever, anyway  ) so I tell the caller that I'm very busy and could they please give me their home telephone number so I can call them at a more convenient time to me. It always gets the desired result.


 


Alex_Murphy said:


> Spare a thought for all those poor backpackers in Sydney having to make those calls, they don't enjoy it! I was one of them once (don't hate me!)
> 
> Yeah it's for like telemarkerters and, those even more annoying machines, that's when we'd ... <insert all suggested words> the phone


 

Ah-ha The infamous *telemarketers. *Many of us in the U.S screen calls by letting an answering machine pick up the call and don't answer if we hear a telemarketer. Somehow the telemarketers' phones detect the answering machine and hang up thus eliminating the need to "*bang down*" or "*slam down*" the phone. Could be why we don't have widespread usage of the expression. It's more difficult to screen on a cell phone but you can _'not take the call_' if you don't recognize the number. You may miss some calls this way.

Charles, your technique sounds pretty good. Alex, well........we all have something in our past.

SN


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