French Phrase
Évite de te promener seul la nuit.
Meaning
Literally, “Avoid walking by yourself at night.” It is a friendly but firm piece of advice, often given for safety reasons.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to warn a friend, family member, or colleague about the risks of being alone after dark—e.g., before they head out on a late shift, a night walk, or a night out in an unfamiliar area.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Évitedetepromenerseullanuit
Imperative of -er verbs
For regular -er verbs like *éviter*, the affirmative tu‑imperative drops the final -s (Évite, not *Évites*).
Verb + de + infinitive
After *éviter*, the preposition *de* is required before an infinitive (Évite **de**…).
Reflexive pronoun placement
When a reflexive verb follows *de*, the pronoun stays before the infinitive (de **te** promener).
Agreement of *seul*
*Seul* agrees with the subject (tu). Use *seule* if you are speaking to a female.
Time expression *la nuit*
*La nuit* is a fixed phrase meaning “at night”; it follows the noun it modifies.
🗨In Conversation
Évite de te promener seul la nuit.
Avoid walking alone at night.
D'accord, je prendrai un taxi.
Okay, I’ll take a taxi.
✕Common Mistakes
Évite pas de te promener seul la nuit.
The negative *pas* cannot be used with *évite*; you need the affirmative imperative *Évite* followed by *de*.
Évite de promener te seul la nuit.
The reflexive pronoun *te* must come before the infinitive, not after it.
Évite de te promener seule la nuit.
*Seul* must agree with the subject (tu). Use *seul* for a male speaker, *seule* for a female speaker.
↔Alternatives
Ne te promène pas seul la nuit.
Don’t walk alone at night.
Fais attention et ne sors pas seul la nuit.
Be careful and don’t go out alone at night.
Il vaut mieux rester à la maison après le coucher du soleil.
It’s better to stay home after sunset.
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking cultures, safety advice is often phrased with *évite de* (avoid) rather than a simple negative command. It sounds more polite and less authoritarian. Remember that *seul* changes gender: say *seule* when speaking to a woman. Also, French speakers frequently add a reason after the advice (e.g., *Évite de te promener seul la nuit, c’est dangereux*).