Portuguese Phrase
Mantém o transporte limpo.
Meaning
A short, direct recommendation that urges someone to keep the transport system clean – whether it’s a bus, train, subway, or any other means of public conveyance.
When to use
Use this phrase on posters, in public‑service announcements, or when reminding a colleague or a group about the importance of cleanliness in public transport. It works well in environmental campaigns and civic‑responsibility contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mantémotransportelimpo.
Manter (mantém)
Third‑person singular present indicative of the verb ‘manter’ (to keep). Used here as an imperative recommendation.
Definite article ‘o’
The masculine singular article that agrees with the noun ‘transporte’.
Noun ‘transporte’
Masculine singular noun meaning ‘transport’ or ‘the means of transport’.
Adjective agreement ‘limpo’
Adjective must match the gender and number of the noun it modifies – masculine singular ‘limpo’, not ‘limpa’.
🗨In Conversation
Os ônibus estão cada vez mais sujos, precisamos mudar isso.
The buses are getting dirtier, we need to change that.
Mantém o transporte limpo.
Keep the transport clean.
✕Common Mistakes
Mantém o transporte limpa.
The adjective must agree with the masculine noun ‘transporte’; use ‘limpo’, not ‘limpa’.
Mantém‑se o transporte limpo.
‘Mantém‑se’ is reflexive and changes the meaning to ‘keeps itself clean’; the intended meaning is a recommendation to the listener, so use ‘mantém’.
Mantém transporte limpo.
Dropping the article sounds unnatural in this construction; keep ‘o’ to specify the transport.
↔Alternatives
Mantenha o transporte limpo.
Keep the transport clean.
Cuide da limpeza do transporte.
Take care of the transport’s cleanliness.
Preserve a limpeza nos meios de transporte.
Preserve cleanliness in the means of transport.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, public‑transport cleanliness is a frequent topic in municipal campaigns. Posters with short imperatives like this are common in stations and on buses. The tone is friendly but firm – it’s a public‑service reminder rather than a personal command, so using the third‑person form ‘mantém’ feels less confrontational than a direct ‘mantenha’.