French Phrase
Désinfecte les surfaces pour les autres.
Meaning
The sentence is a direct command telling someone to disinfect surfaces in order to protect other people. It stresses the collective responsibility for hygiene.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to remind or ask someone to clean shared objects – in a kitchen, office, classroom, or any public space – especially during health‑crisis periods or when emphasizing community care.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Désinfectelessurfacespourlesautres.
Imperative Mood
‘Désinfecte’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘désinfecter’, used to give a direct command.
Direct Object
‘les surfaces’ is the direct object of the verb; it tells what must be disinfected.
Prepositional Phrase of Benefit
‘pour les autres’ uses the preposition ‘pour’ to indicate the purpose or beneficiary of the action.
🗨In Conversation
N'oublie pas de désinfecter les surfaces pour les autres.
Don't forget to disinfect the surfaces for others.
Oui, je le ferai tout de suite.
Yes, I'll do it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Désinfecte les surfaces à les autres.
‘à’ does not convey the idea of ‘for the benefit of’; use ‘pour’ instead.
Désinfecte les surface pour les autres.
‘surface’ must be plural ‘surfaces’ to match the article ‘les’.
Désinfecte les surfaces pour les autre.
‘autre’ must agree in number and gender with ‘les’, so it should be ‘les autres’.
↔Alternatives
Nettoie les surfaces pour les autres.
Clean the surfaces for others.
Assure‑toi de désinfecter les surfaces afin de protéger les autres.
Make sure to disinfect the surfaces in order to protect others.
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking countries, especially after the COVID‑19 pandemic, public health messages often stress collective responsibility. Using ‘pour les autres’ signals solidarity and is considered polite and socially aware. Avoid overly informal tones in professional settings; the imperative is acceptable when you have a clear authority or when you’re speaking to peers in a collaborative context.