I'm waiting for a work call.
Stress 'a-spet-TAN-do'. 'Lavoro' = la-VO-ro.
Say this to explain why you can't talk at the moment, or why you need to keep your phone on during a meal or event. It signals professional responsibility.
'Sto aspettando' = I'm waiting for (present progressive). 'Chiamata di lavoro' = work call. This explains why you're distracted or why you can't put your phone away. 'Lavoro' can be replaced: 'una chiamata importante' (an important call).
Devo aspettare una chiamata del cliente.
I need to wait for a client's call.
More specific.
Scusa, devo rispondere. È il mio capo.
Excuse me, I need to answer. It's my boss.
Explaining mid-conversation.
Posso richiamarti? Ho una teleconferenza.
Can I call you back? I have a conference call.
Modern work context.
Using phones at the dinner table ('a tavola') is generally frowned upon in Italian social culture — 'a tavola si mangia, non si usa il telefono' (at the table, you eat, you don't use your phone). However, Italian work culture has become increasingly demanding, and the 'reperibilità' (on-call availability) outside office hours is a growing phenomenon, especially in SMEs ('PMI — Piccole e Medie Imprese').