Italian Phrase
Tieni le porte chiuse a chiave mentre guidi.
Meaning
Keep the doors locked while you are driving. The sentence is a safety reminder, stressing that the vehicle’s doors should remain secured throughout the journey.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving driving advice, in a driving‑school lesson, or when reminding a passenger to secure the car before setting off. It’s common in safety briefings and informal conversations about road safety.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tienileportechiuseachiavementreguidi
Imperativo (2ª pers. sing.)
‘Tieni’ is the affirmative imperative of ‘tenere’ for ‘tu’. It is used to give a direct command or advice.
Articolo determinativo femminile plurale
‘le’ agrees with the feminine plural noun ‘porte’.
Aggettivo concordato
‘chiuse’ matches ‘porte’ in gender (feminine) and number (plural).
Locuzione prepositiva ‘a chiave’
The phrase ‘a chiave’ means ‘locked with a key’ and follows the adjective.
Congiunzione temporale ‘mentre’
‘mentre’ introduces a simultaneous action, linking the two clauses.
Presente indicativo (2ª pers. sing.)
‘guidi’ is the present indicative of ‘guidare’ for ‘tu’, describing the ongoing action of driving.
🗨In Conversation
Devo partire subito, ma non ho tempo per controllare le porte.
I have to leave right away, but I don’t have time to check the doors.
Tieni le porte chiuse a chiave mentre guidi.
Keep the doors locked while you drive.
✕Common Mistakes
Tieni le porte chiusi a chiave mentre guidi.
The adjective must agree with the feminine plural noun ‘porte’, so it should be ‘chiuse’.
Tieniti le porte chiuse a chiave mentre guidi.
‘Tieniti’ is reflexive and changes the meaning to ‘keep yourself’, which is not intended here.
Tieni le porte chiuse a chiavi mentre guidi.
‘Chiavi’ is plural; the correct expression is the singular ‘a chiave’ meaning ‘with a key’.
↔Alternatives
Chiudi a chiave le porte quando guidi.
Lock the doors when you drive.
Assicurati che le porte siano chiuse a chiave durante la guida.
Make sure the doors are locked during the drive.
Non dimenticare di chiudere a chiave le porte mentre sei al volante.
Don’t forget to lock the doors while you’re behind the wheel.
Cultural Tip
In Italy many modern cars have central locking, but older models and some rental vehicles still require a manual key. Italians often stress ‘a chiave’ to avoid the misconception that the doors are merely closed; a locked door is seen as a key safety measure, especially on narrow, busy city streets and in rural areas where stray animals may wander onto the road.