Italian Phrase
Mettili nel portafoglio o nello zaino.
Meaning
The speaker is telling someone to place the previously mentioned items (masculine plural) either inside the wallet or inside the backpack. The phrase is a direct, friendly instruction.
When to use
Use this sentence when you want to give a quick instruction about where to store small personal items—cash, tickets, cards, or any masculine‑plural objects—especially in everyday situations like traveling, shopping, or preparing for a trip.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mettilinelportafoglioonellozaino
Imperative + pronoun
In the affirmative imperative, object pronouns are attached to the verb with a hyphen (e.g., Metti + li → Mettili).
Direct‑object pronoun li
‘li’ replaces a masculine plural noun already mentioned (e.g., i biglietti, i soldi).
Preposition + article contraction
‘in + il’ → ‘nel’; ‘in + lo’ → ‘nello’. Use ‘nel’ before nouns with the article ‘il’ and ‘nello’ before nouns that take ‘lo’ (zaino, sport, gnomo…).
Coordinating conjunction o
‘o’ means ‘or’ and links two alternative locations.
🗨In Conversation
Hai i biglietti del concerto?
Do you have the concert tickets?
Sì, mettili nel portafoglio o nello zaino.
Yes, put them in the wallet or in the backpack.
✕Common Mistakes
Metti li nel portafoglio o nello zaino.
In the affirmative imperative the pronoun must be attached to the verb with a hyphen.
Mettili nel portafoglio o nel zaino.
Because *zaino* takes the article *lo*, the correct contraction is *nello*.
Mettele nel portafoglio o nello zaino.
Use *li* for masculine plural objects; *le* is for feminine plural.
↔Alternatives
Mettili nel portafoglio oppure nello zaino.
Put them in the wallet or in the backpack.
Metti questi oggetti nel portafoglio o nello zaino.
Put these objects in the wallet or in the backpack.
Puoi metterli nel portafoglio o nello zaino.
You can put them in the wallet or in the backpack.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, a *portafoglio* is usually a small leather item for cash, cards, and receipts, while a *zaino* is a larger backpack used for school, travel, or hiking. Choosing the right container depends on the size and importance of the items. Also, remember that in spoken Italian the imperative with pronoun sounds very natural and is often used in informal, friendly contexts.