citofonare

Today's Parola del Giorno is the transitive verb, citofonare, which means:

• to buzz someone
• to call someone on an entry phone

Il citofono is the entry phone or buzzers found outside most apartment buildings in Italy (they're also common in other places). You press the button or number of the apartment that you want, it rings at your friend's place, they answer - when you do all that, you're "citofonando"!

The past participle is citofonato.

See the verb used in its context below:

Mentre parlavo con mia madre al telefono, la mia ragazza mi ha citofonato da giù. "Scusa, mamma, Annalisa è arrivata! A presto!" le ho detto.

While I was talking with my mother on the phone, my girlfriend buzzed me from downstairs. "Pardon, mom, Annalisa is here. Talk to you soon!" I told her.