I need to turn off my phone.
Stress 'SPE-gne-re'. The 'gn' = 'ny' sound.
Say this when you're about to enter a meeting, cinema, theatre, or hospital and need to let the person on the phone know you'll be unavailable.
'Spegnere' = to turn off. 'Telefono' = phone. Alternatives: 'mettere in silenzioso' (to put on silent), 'mettere in aereo' (to put on airplane mode). 'Metto il telefono in silenzioso' is a common modern alternative to fully turning it off.
Devo mettere il telefono in silenzioso.
I need to put my phone on silent.
Modern alternative.
Sto per entrare in riunione. Ti richiamo dopo.
I'm about to go into a meeting. I'll call you back later.
Explaining the reason.
Il mio telefono si sta scaricando.
My phone is running out of battery.
Battery-related interruption.
Italian theatres ('teatri') and opera houses ('teatri lirici') are strict about phone silence. La Scala in Milan, one of the world's great opera houses, has ushers who actively remind audience members to turn off phones. Interrupting a performance with a ringing phone is considered an extreme social embarrassment in Italian cultural life.