Italian Phrase
Tenere a bada le emozioni evita di agire d'impulso.
Meaning
Keeping your emotions under control helps you avoid acting on impulse. The sentence stresses the preventive power of emotional regulation, suggesting that self‑awareness can stop rash decisions before they happen.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving advice about self‑control, in a self‑help context, or when discussing the benefits of emotional intelligence in personal or professional settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenereabadaleemozionievitadiagired'impulso
Tenere (infinitive)
The verb 'tenere' in its infinitive form can introduce a general action or concept, similar to 'to keep' in English.
a bada (idiom)
The phrase 'a bada' is an idiomatic expression meaning 'under control' or 'kept in check'.
le emozioni (direct object)
The definite article 'le' agrees with the feminine plural noun 'emozioni', indicating 'the emotions'.
evita (present indicative)
Third‑person singular present of 'evitare', used here as a general statement: 'it avoids' or 'avoiding'.
di + infinitive
After verbs like 'evitare', Italian uses the preposition 'di' followed by another infinitive (e.g., 'di agire').
d'impulso (adverbial phrase)
A contracted form of 'di impulso', meaning 'impulsively' or 'on impulse'.
🗨In Conversation
Tenere a bada le emozioni evita di agire d'impulso.
Keeping your emotions in check prevents you from acting impulsively.
Hai ragione, è meglio riflettere prima di prendere decisioni importanti.
You’re right, it’s better to think before making important decisions.
✕Common Mistakes
Tenere le emozioni a bada evita di agire d'impulso.
While understandable, the idiomatic order is 'Tenere a bada le emozioni'. Placing 'a bada' after the noun sounds less natural.
Tenere a bada le emozioni evita di agire impulsivamente.
Mixing the Italian verb 'evitare' with the English‑derived adverb 'impulsivamente' is redundant; use the native phrase 'd'impulso' or 'impulsivamente' consistently.
Tenere a bada le emozioni evita di agire di impulso.
Do not separate the contraction; write it as one word (d'impulso) because it is a fixed adverbial phrase.
↔Alternatives
Controllare le emozioni impedisce di agire impulsivamente.
Controlling emotions prevents acting impulsively.
Mantenere sotto controllo le emozioni evita gli impulsi.
Keeping emotions under control avoids impulses.
Se tieni le emozioni a bada, non agirai d'impulso.
If you keep your emotions in check, you won’t act on impulse.
Cultural Tip
The expression 'a bada' is a classic Italian idiom that appears in both formal writing and everyday speech. It conveys a sense of disciplined restraint, a value highly regarded in Italian culture, especially in professional and family contexts. Avoid over‑using it in very casual chats; native speakers might prefer simpler verbs like 'controllare' or 'regolare' in informal settings.