Tieni il corrimano quando scendi le scale.

Hold the handrail when you go down the stairs.

Breakdown of Tieni il corrimano quando scendi le scale.

• quando: when
• scendere: to go down
• tenere: to hold
• il corrimano: the handrail
• la scala: the staircase

Questions & Answers about Tieni il corrimano quando scendi le scale.

What is the form tieni in this sentence?

Tieni is the second-person singular present imperative of the verb tenere (“to hold”). As an imperative, it gives a direct command: “(You) hold.”

Is scendi also an imperative here?

No. Although the shape of scendi (from scendere) matches the second-person imperative of ‑ere verbs, in this sentence it’s actually the present indicative used in a temporal clause introduced by quando (“when”). So you’re saying “hold the handrail when you go down the stairs,” not issuing two commands.

Why is it le scale (plural) instead of la scala (singular)?

In Italian, a flight of stairs is almost always referred to in the plural—le scale—even if it’s one staircase. The singular la scala can mean the concept of a step or the act of ascent/descent, but to talk about the stairs themselves, Italians say le scale.

Do I need a preposition with scendere when talking about stairs? Could I say “scendi dalle scale”?

Both constructions exist, but they have slightly different nuances:

• Scendi le scale treats scale as a direct object and is very common for “go down the stairs.”
• Scendi dalle scale uses scendere
  • da
    • article, emphasizing the origin (“down from the stairs”).
      In everyday speech, scendi le scale is more neutral and succinct.

Why is there a definite article before corrimano? Can I say “tieni corrimano”?

In Italian, nouns—especially body parts or fixed objects like a handrail—normally require a definite article. Dropping it (“tieni corrimano”) sounds ungrammatical. You need il corrimano.

What exactly is a corrimano? Is it the same as a “railing”?

Yes, corrimano literally means “handrail”—the rail you hold with your hand. It’s slightly different from ringhiera, which is a railing or balustrade (often decorative or protective, not necessarily for holding while climbing).

Could I use a different word for “when,” like mentre instead of quando?

You could say mentre scendi le scale (“while you’re going down the stairs”), but:

• quando
  • indicative stresses the moment or condition: “when you go down…”
• mentre
  • gerund (mentre scendi) emphasizes the action in progress: “while going down…” Both are correct; choice depends on nuance.

How would I make this instruction polite or formal?

Use the formal (Lei) imperative. For example:
“Tenga il corrimano quando scende le scale.”
Here tenga is the third-person singular imperative used for polite address.