German Phrase
Halte den Bereich sauber.
Meaning
‘Halte den Bereich sauber.’ is a direct instruction meaning ‘Keep the area clean.’ It tells the listener to maintain cleanliness in a specific place, often used in workplaces, schools, or public areas.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to give a clear, short command to someone responsible for a space – e.g., a supervisor to an employee, a teacher to students, or on a sign in a shared area.
✦Grammar Breakdown
HaltedenBereichsauber.
Imperativ (du‑Form)
‘Halte’ is the du‑imperative of ‘halten’. For du, drop the ‘st’ ending of the present tense ‘hältst’.
Akkusativobjekt
‘den Bereich’ is the accusative form of ‘der Bereich’. The article changes from ‘der’ (Nom.) to ‘den’ (Akk.) after the verb.
Prädikativ‑Adjektiv
‘sauber’ functions as a predicative adjective and therefore stands without an article after the verb ‘halten’.
🗨In Conversation
Halte den Bereich sauber.
Keep the area clean.
Ja, ich räume sofort auf.
Yes, I’ll tidy up right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Halte der Bereich sauber.
‘der Bereich’ is nominative; after ‘halten’ you need the accusative ‘den Bereich’.
Halte den Bereich sauber halten.
While ‘den Bereich sauber halten’ is also correct, the short version ‘Halte den Bereich sauber’ is more natural for a direct command.
Halte Sie den Bereich sauber.
If you want a formal command, you must use the Sie‑imperative ‘Halten Sie den Bereich sauber.’ The du‑imperative ‘Halte …’ is informal.
↔Alternatives
Bitte halte den Bereich sauber.
Please keep the area clean.
Achte darauf, dass der Bereich sauber bleibt.
Make sure the area stays clean.
Sorge dafür, dass der Bereich sauber ist.
See to it that the area is clean.
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking workplaces, short imperative sentences are common on signs and in verbal instructions. Adding ‘Bitte’ softens the command and is considered polite, especially when speaking to colleagues you don’t know well.