Meaning
prudent, careful, cautious
In a sentence
Luca è sempre prudente quando guida di notte.
Luca is always careful when driving at night.
Sei stata prudente con quei soldi?
Were you careful with that money?
Non è prudente parlare al telefono mentre guidi.
It's not prudent to talk on the phone while driving.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| prudente | masculine · singular |
| prudente | feminine · singular |
| prudenti | masculine · plural |
| prudenti | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use prudente for measured behavior or decisions; cauto often stresses immediate risk or physical caution.
- It agrees in gender and number: prudente, prudenti. Don't confuse it with English-looking forms like 'prudento.'
- Common with essere and sembrare: essere prudente, sembrare prudente. Also followed by nel + infinitive: prudente nel parlare.