Indossiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio prima di salpare.

Indossiamo comes from indossare, which means to wear or to put on clothing or something worn on the body.

In this sentence, indossiamo can mean:

• we put on
• we wear
• in some contexts, even let’s put on

So the exact English choice depends on context. In a practical safety instruction, it often sounds like we put on the life jacket before setting sail or let’s put on the life jacket before setting sail.

Italian often uses indossare specifically for clothes and wearable items:

• indossare una giacca = to wear / put on a jacket
• indossare il casco = to wear / put on the helmet

You can also hear mettere for to put on, especially in everyday speech:

• mettiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio

But indossare is a little more precise and is very natural for something worn on the body.

It can be either, because the -iamo form can be:

• 1st person plural present indicative = we wear / we put on
• 1st person plural imperative = let’s wear / let’s put on

So without extra context, the form is ambiguous.

For example:

• Indossiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio prima di salpare.
  could be We put on the life jacket before setting sail
  or Let’s put on the life jacket before setting sail

Context tells you which meaning is intended.

Il is the definite article, meaning the.

In Italian, the definite article is often used in general instructions where English might use:

• a
• your
• or even no article in some cases

So il giubbotto di salvataggio can naturally mean the life jacket that is relevant in the situation, not necessarily one specific shared jacket.

In practice, Italian often sounds more natural than English with the definite article in these contexts.

This is very common in Italian. A singular noun can be used when the action applies individually to each person.

So:

• Indossiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio

does not mean everyone shares one jacket. It usually means each person puts on their own life jacket.

English often prefers the plural or a possessive:

• We put on our life jackets

Italian can still use the singular with the definite article.

Literally, it is:

• giubbotto = jacket
• di salvataggio = for saving / lifesaving

So the full phrase is life jacket.

This is a standard expression in Italian. You may also hear related terms such as:

• salvagente = lifesaver / life preserver
• giacca di salvataggio = life jacket

But giubbotto di salvataggio is perfectly natural.

Prima di means before when it is followed by a verb in the infinitive.

So:

• prima di salpare = before setting sail

This is a very common structure in Italian:

• prima di mangiare = before eating
• prima di uscire = before going out
• prima di dormire = before sleeping

Both are possible in Italian, but they are used differently.

Use prima di + infinitive when the subject is the same:

• Indossiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio prima di salpare.
  = We put on the life jacket before setting sail.
  The people putting on the jacket are also the ones setting sail.

Use prima che + subjunctive when the subject changes, or when the structure calls for a full clause:

• Indossiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio prima che la barca salpi.
  = We put on the life jacket before the boat sets sail.

So prima di salpare is the simpler and more natural choice here.

Salpare means to set sail. More literally, it originally refers to weighing anchor and departing by boat or ship.

Depending on context, it can be translated as:

• to set sail
• to leave port
• to depart by boat

So in this sentence, prima di salpare means before leaving by boat or before setting sail.

Because indossare is normally not reflexive.

You simply say:

• indosso la giacca = I put on / wear the jacket
• indossiamo il giubbotto = we put on / wear the life jacket

In English, wearing something happens to your own body, but Italian does not usually express that with a reflexive verb here.

Yes. Italian word order is flexible.

You can say:

• Indossiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio prima di salpare.
• Prima di salpare, indossiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio.

Both are correct.

The second version puts more emphasis on before setting sail, because that idea comes first.

It is neutral and natural. Nothing in it is especially formal or especially casual.

It would fit well in:

• spoken instructions
• a safety reminder
• a boating context
• a simple narrative description

The tone depends mostly on context, not on the grammar itself.

This sentence is already natural. But in everyday speech, someone might also say:

• Mettiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio prima di salpare.
• Prima di salpare, mettiamo il giubbotto di salvataggio.

Using mettere can sound a bit more conversational, while indossare is slightly more precise for clothing and gear. Both work well.