German Phrase
Halt sie außer Sicht.
Meaning
‘Halt sie außer Sicht.’ tells someone to keep something (or a group of things) out of view. It is a concise, slightly formal way to order that objects be hidden or concealed.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want someone to store away documents, weapons, or any items that should not be visible – e.g., in a security briefing, during a cleaning task, or when giving a discreet instruction.
✦Grammar Breakdown
HaltsieaußerSicht
Imperative (du) – Halt
‘Halt’ is the du‑imperative of the verb ‘halten’ (to keep, to hold). In informal commands the verb stem is used directly.
Accusative pronoun – sie
‘sie’ is the accusative plural pronoun meaning ‘them’. It is the direct object of ‘halten’.
Preposition ‘außer’ + dative
‘außer’ governs the dative case; ‘Sicht’ is feminine, so the dative form is ‘der Sicht’, but the article is often omitted in the fixed expression ‘außer Sicht’.
Noun – Sicht
‘Sicht’ means ‘sight, view’. In the phrase it functions as a noun complement to the preposition, forming the idiom ‘außer Sicht’ = ‘out of sight’.
🗨In Conversation
Kannst du die Akten bitte in den Schrank legen?
Can you please put the files in the cabinet?
Halt sie außer Sicht.
Keep them out of sight.
✕Common Mistakes
Halten Sie sie außer Sicht.
‘Halten Sie’ is the formal imperative; the phrase is usually used in the informal du‑imperative ‘Halt’ unless you are addressing a superior.
Halt sie aus Sicht.
‘aus Sicht’ means ‘from the point of view’, not ‘out of sight’. The correct preposition is ‘außer’.
Halt sie außer die Sicht.
The article is omitted in the idiom; adding ‘die’ makes the phrase ungrammatical.
↔Alternatives
Verstecke sie.
Hide them.
Bring sie aus dem Blickfeld.
Take them out of the line of sight.
Halte sie verborgen.
Keep them concealed.
Cultural Tip
In German imperatives the subject ‘du’ is omitted, but the object pronoun stays. ‘Außer Sicht’ is a set phrase often heard in military, police or corporate security contexts, so it sounds a bit formal and authoritative. For a more casual tone you could simply say ‘Versteck sie’ or ‘Leg sie weg’.