Italian Phrase
Tieni la borsa vicino a te.
Meaning
A direct instruction meaning ‘Keep the bag close to you.’ It is often used to remind someone to hold onto their belongings for safety, especially in crowded or public places.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want someone to keep a bag, purse, or any personal item within arm’s reach – e.g., on a bus, in a market, or while walking through a busy street.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tienilaborsavicinoate
Imperative (2nd pers. sing.)
‘Tieni’ is the affirmative imperative of the verb ‘tenere’ (to keep/hold) for ‘tu’.
Definite article
‘la’ agrees with the feminine singular noun ‘borsa’.
Noun
‘borsa’ means ‘bag, purse’.
Prepositional phrase ‘vicino a’
‘vicino’ (near) is followed by the preposition ‘a’ and the stressed pronoun ‘te’ to indicate proximity to the listener.
Stressed pronoun
‘te’ is the stressed form of ‘tu’, used after prepositions.
🗨In Conversation
Tieni la borsa vicino a te.
Keep the bag close to you.
Certo, così non la perdo.
Sure, that way I won’t lose it.
✕Common Mistakes
Tenere la borsa vicino a te.
The infinitive ‘tenere’ is not a command; you need the imperative ‘Tieni’.
Tieni la borsa vicino te.
‘Vicino’ must be followed by the preposition ‘a’ before the pronoun.
↔Alternatives
Tieniti la borsa vicino.
Keep the bag close to yourself.
Non allontanare la borsa.
Don’t move the bag away.
Mantieni la borsa vicino a te.
Maintain the bag close to you.
Cultural Tip
In Italy personal belongings are often kept close, especially on public transport and in busy markets. Using the imperative is common among friends or family; with strangers you might soften it with ‘per favore’ or a polite request.