Italian Phrase
Tieni i posti puliti per gli altri.
Meaning
‘Keep the seats clean for the others.’ It is a polite reminder to leave a place tidy so that the next person can use it comfortably.
When to use
Use this sentence on public transport, in classrooms, libraries, cafés, or any shared space where you want to ask someone to clean up after themselves for the benefit of the next user.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tieniipostipulitiperglialtri.
Imperative (tu) – Tieni
‘Tieni’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb *tenere* (to keep, to hold). It is used for direct commands or polite requests.
Definite article – i
‘i’ is the masculine plural definite article, matching the plural noun *posti*.
Adjective agreement – puliti
The adjective *pulito* must agree in gender and number with *posti*: masculine plural → *puliti*.
Prepositional phrase – per gli altri
‘per’ introduces the beneficiary of the action; *gli* is the masculine plural article used before a vowel‑starting noun (*altri*).
🗨In Conversation
Tieni i posti puliti per gli altri, per favore.
Keep the seats clean for others, please.
Certo, lo farò subito!
Sure, I’ll do it right away!
✕Common Mistakes
Tieniti i posti puliti per gli altri.
‘Tieniti’ is reflexive and means ‘hold yourself’, not ‘keep’. The correct form is the simple imperative *Tieni*.
Tieni i posti pulito per gli altri.
The adjective must agree with the plural noun *posti*; use *puliti*, not the singular *pulito*.
Tieni i posti puliti per gli altra.
‘Altri’ is plural; the article *gli* must match it. *Altra* is singular feminine, which does not fit here.
↔Alternatives
Mantieni i posti puliti per gli altri.
Maintain the seats clean for others.
Lascia i posti puliti per chi verrà dopo.
Leave the seats clean for those who come after.
Non sporcare i posti, pensa agli altri.
Don’t dirty the seats, think of others.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, public etiquette places a strong emphasis on respecting shared spaces. Saying *Tieni i posti puliti per gli altri* is considered courteous and shows awareness of community norms. In more formal settings you might add *per favore* or use the plural imperative *Tenete* when addressing a group.