Italian Phrase
Non ostruire l'attrezzatura con il tuo telefono.
Meaning
The sentence is a clear, polite warning that tells someone not to place or hold their phone in a way that blocks or interferes with the equipment. It is often seen on safety signs or in instructions where the equipment must remain unobstructed for proper operation.
When to use
Use this phrase on signage in gyms, workshops, laboratories, or any public place where equipment must stay clear. It is also appropriate in spoken instructions when reminding a colleague or a customer not to let a phone get in the way of a machine.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Nonostruirel'attrezzaturaconiltuotelefono
Negative Imperative (Non + infinitive)
In Italian, the negative command for the second‑person singular is formed with ‘non’ followed by the infinitive verb (e.g., ‘Non ostruire’ = ‘Don’t obstruct’).
Article Elision (l')
When a feminine singular noun beginning with a vowel follows the definite article, the article elides to ‘l’ (e.g., ‘l’attrezzatura’).
Possessive Adjective Agreement
Possessive adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify: ‘tuo’ (masc. sing.) matches ‘telefono’.
Preposition ‘con’ + noun
‘Con’ introduces the instrument or means, here indicating that the phone is the object that might block the equipment.
🗨In Conversation
Posso mettere il telefono qui sul tapis roulant?
Can I put my phone here on the treadmill?
No, non ostruire l'attrezzatura con il tuo telefono.
No, don’t obstruct the equipment with your phone.
✕Common Mistakes
Non ostruisci l'attrezzatura con il tuo telefono.
The verb should stay in the infinitive after ‘non’ for a negative command; ‘ostruisci’ is the present indicative, not the imperative.
Non ostruire la l'attrezzatura con il tuo telefono.
Do not add an extra article before the elided form; ‘l’attrezzatura’ already includes the article.
Non ostruire l'attrezzatura con il tuo telefono.
When speaking formally to a stranger, use the polite ‘suo telefono’ instead of ‘tuo telefono’. The informal ‘tuo’ is fine on signs aimed at the general public.
↔Alternatives
Non bloccare l'apparecchiatura con il tuo cellulare.
Don’t block the equipment with your cell phone.
Evita di mettere il telefono sopra l'attrezzatura.
Avoid putting the phone on the equipment.
Per favore, tieni il telefono lontano dall'attrezzatura.
Please keep the phone away from the equipment.
Cultural Tip
Italian safety signs tend to be concise and use the formal register, even when addressing a single person. The verb ‘ostruire’ is a bit more formal than ‘bloccare’, so it fits well on official signage. If you’re speaking to a group, switch to the plural form: ‘Non ostruite l'attrezzatura…’. In the north of Italy you might also see ‘cellulare’ instead of ‘telefono’, but both are universally understood.