statti al sicuro
The Italian phrase for stay safe is statti al sicuro.
The phrase is used to tell someone to avoid danger and remain out of harm's way. If you want to tell someone to 'watch out for danger' or 'be careful' in a specific situation, fai attenzione is more natural than statti al sicuro.
Which one should you use?
fai attenzione is used to mean 'be careful' or 'pay attention'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'stay safe' to a stranger or someone you address formally, use the third-person singular subjunctive stia instead of the informal statti in the phrase stia al sicuro.
Did you know?
- To express an extreme need to 'stay safe' or 'be careful', Italians might use the phrase stare in campana, which literally means 'to stay in the bell tower'.
- In Italian, saying statti al sicuro can sometimes sound slightly dramatic or cinematic, as if you are a character in a movie telling someone to survive a dangerous journey.
- While statti al sicuro suggests avoiding danger, Italians often use the word salve as a greeting, which comes from the same Latin root for 'safety' and 'health'.
Examples in context
- Ciao Luca! Spero tu stia al sicuro durante questi tempi difficili!Hi Luca! I hope you're staying safe during these challenging times!
Example conversation
Chiara is saying goodbye to Francesco during a storm.
- ChiaraFrancesco, guarda che temporale!Francesco, look at that storm!
- FrancescoSì, devo andare a casa subito.Yes, I have to go home right away.
- ChiaraFai attenzione e statti al sicuro.Be careful and stay safe.
- FrancescoGrazie, Chiara. A presto!Thanks, Chiara. See you soon!
