French Phrase
Garde ton sac près de toi.
Meaning
‘Garde ton sac près de toi’ is a friendly reminder to keep your bag close to your body. It is often said to protect personal belongings from pickpockets or accidental loss.
When to use
Use this phrase in crowded places such as metros, markets, festivals, or while traveling. It works well when you’re giving advice to a friend, a child, or a fellow traveler.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Gardetonsacprèsdetoi
Imperative (Garde)
‘Garde’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb *garder* (to keep, to hold). It is used for informal commands.
Possessive adjective (ton)
‘ton’ agrees with a masculine singular noun and means ‘your’ (informal).
Noun (sac)
‘sac’ is a masculine noun meaning ‘bag’ or ‘backpack’.
Prepositional phrase (près de)
‘près de’ means ‘near’ or ‘close to’. It is followed by a pronoun or noun without an article.
Disjunctive pronoun (toi)
‘toi’ is the stressed pronoun used after prepositions like *près de*.
🗨In Conversation
Garde ton sac près de toi, il y a beaucoup de monde.
Keep your bag close to you, there are a lot of people.
D'accord, je le mets sur mon genou.
Okay, I’ll put it on my lap.
✕Common Mistakes
Gardez ton sac près de toi.
Mixes formal *Gardez* with informal *ton* and *toi*; keep the register consistent.
Garde ton sac près de vous.
Mixes informal *Garde* with formal *vous*; use either all informal or all formal.
Garde ton sac à côté de toi.
‘À côté de’ is acceptable but changes nuance; *près de* is the idiomatic choice for safety advice.
↔Alternatives
Garde ton sac à portée de main.
Keep your bag within arm's reach.
Tiens ton sac près de toi.
Hold your bag close to you.
Ne laisse pas ton sac sans surveillance.
Don’t leave your bag unattended.
Cultural Tip
In France, especially in Paris, pickpocketing is common in tourist hotspots and public transport. Locals often advise friends and strangers alike to keep bags ‘près de soi’. Using the informal imperative *garde* signals familiarity; in a more formal setting you would say *Gardez votre sac près de vous*.