Questions & Answers about Skiltet siger at det er forbudt.
Since we are learning the s-passive, why doesn't this sentence use the passive verb form "forbydes"?
The s-passive is generally used for ongoing actions, rules, or instructions (meaning "is being forbidden" or "must be forbidden"). In contrast, er forbudt uses the verb at være (to be) to describe a fixed state or condition. The sign is stating the existing fact that the action is already in a state of being forbidden.
Why does "forbudt" end in a "-t"?
Forbudt is the past participle of the verb at forbyde (to forbid). Here, it acts like an adjective describing the neuter pronoun det. Just like regular adjectives, past participles must add a -t at the end when they describe a neuter word.
Is it normal in Danish for an inanimate object like "skiltet" to "say" something?
Yes! Just like in English, Danish uses the verb at sige (to say) to express what is written on inanimate objects. Phrases like skiltet siger (the sign says) or avisen siger (the newspaper says) are completely natural.
Why use the neuter pronoun "det" here?
Det (it) is used here as an abstract pronoun. It doesn't refer to a specific physical noun with a gender, but rather to the general action or situation that is forbidden. When talking about abstract concepts or unspoken actions, Danish always defaults to the neuter det.