French Phrase
Emporte tes déchets avec toi.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Take your trash with you.’ It is a friendly reminder to carry away any waste you have produced, especially in shared or public spaces.
When to use
Use this phrase when you see someone about to leave a park, beach, café terrace, or any communal area and you want to politely ask them to take their rubbish with them. It works best in informal settings among friends, classmates, or coworkers.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Emportetesdéchetsavectoi
Imperative (2nd pers. sing.)
‘Emporte’ is the affirmative imperative of the verb *emporter* (to take, to carry) used without a subject pronoun.
Possessive adjective
‘tes’ is the informal plural possessive adjective meaning ‘your’ (for multiple items).
Plural noun
‘déchets’ is a masculine plural noun meaning ‘trash, waste’. It agrees with the plural possessive ‘tes’.
Preposition + stressed pronoun
‘avec toi’ uses the preposition *avec* followed by the stressed pronoun *toi* (you) because a preposition requires the stressed form, not *tu*.
🗨In Conversation
On a fini le pique‑nique, mais il reste des emballages sur la table.
We’re done with the picnic, but there are still wrappers on the table.
Emporte tes déchets avec toi, s’il te plaît.
Please take your trash with you.
✕Common Mistakes
Emporte ton déchets avec toi.
‘Déchets’ is plural, so the possessive must be plural ‘tes’, not singular ‘ton’.
Emporte tes déchets avec tu.
After a preposition you must use the stressed pronoun *toi*, not the subject pronoun *tu*.
Prends tes déchets avec toi.
‘Prendre’ means ‘to take (in hand)’, while *emporter* conveys ‘to carry away’, which is the nuance needed for waste.
↔Alternatives
Prends tes ordures avec toi.
Take your garbage with you.
Ramasse tes déchets avant de partir.
Pick up your waste before leaving.
N'oublie pas de mettre tes déchets dans le sac.
Don’t forget to put your trash in the bag.
Cultural Tip
In France, keeping public spaces clean is a strong social norm. You’ll often see signs in parks, beaches, and train stations that say *« Merci de ne pas laisser de déchets »* or *« Emportez vos déchets »*. Using the informal imperative *emporte* signals familiarity, so reserve it for peers; with strangers or in a formal context, switch to *emportez* (e.g., *Emportez vos déchets avec vous*).