Italian Phrase
Allontanati dalle porte.
Meaning
Literally ‘Move away from the doors.’ In everyday Italian it is used as a firm but polite instruction to keep a distance from any door, usually for safety or crowd‑control reasons.
When to use
You’ll hear this phrase in places where doors can be hazardous – on trains, in theatres, at concerts, or during emergency drills. It’s also used by teachers or parents when they want children to stay clear of a doorway.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Allontanatidalleporte
Allontanati (imperative)
Allontanati is the second‑person singular imperative of the reflexive verb allontanarsi, meaning ‘to move away, to keep distance’. The reflexive pronoun “ti” is attached to the verb.
dalle (preposition + article)
dalle is the contraction of da (from) + le (the, plural feminine). It introduces the place you should stay away from.
porte (noun, plural feminine)
porte is the plural of porta ‘door’. In Italian doors are feminine, so the article is le.
🗨In Conversation
Allontanati dalle porte, per favore.
Please stay away from the doors.
Certo, mi allontanerò subito.
Sure, I’ll move away right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Allontanate dalle porte.
Allontanate is the second‑person plural imperative; use Allontanati for a single person or Allontanatevi for a group.
Allontanati da le porte.
The preposition and article must be contracted to dalle.
Allontanati dalle porta.
porte is plural; the singular would be porta, but the phrase is meant for multiple doors.
↔Alternatives
Stai lontano dalle porte.
Stay far from the doors.
Tenetevi lontani dalle porte.
Keep yourselves away from the doors.
Non avvicinarti alle porte.
Don’t get close to the doors.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, safety announcements often use the informal imperative when addressing a group (e.g., ‘Allontanati’ for one person, ‘Allontanatevi’ for many). In formal settings you’d switch to the polite form: ‘Allontanati, per favore’ or ‘Allontanatevi, per favore’. Also, Italians tend to be very aware of personal space around doors on public transport, so using this phrase shows you respect local safety habits.