Learn French: Il est prohibé d'afficher des messages dans l'ascenseur. - It is prohibited to post messages in the elevator.

Il est prohibé d'afficher des messages dans l'ascenseur.

It is prohibited to post messages in the elevator.

Breakdown of Il est prohibé d'afficher des messages dans l'ascenseur.

être

to be

des

some (plural indefinite)

Questions & Answers about Il est prohibé d'afficher des messages dans l'ascenseur.

Why do we use "Il" here instead of "C'" for "It"?

In formal impersonal passive constructions like Il est prohibé, we use the impersonal pronoun Il. While you might hear C'est prohibé or C'est interdit in casual spoken French, Il est is the standard, grammatically correct form for official rules and formal written language.

Why is there a "d'" before "afficher"?

When an impersonal expression using Il est + past participle (or adjective) is followed by an infinitive, you must use the preposition de. The infinitive phrase (afficher des messages) is the logical subject of the sentence, and de is required to link it to the impersonal structure.

Could I use "interdit" instead of "prohibé" here?

Yes, absolutely. Il est interdit de... is much more common in everyday French. Prohibé is a more formal, administrative term often used in legal contexts or on official signage, which fits perfectly with a posted rule inside a building.

How does this impersonal passive construction change the focus of the sentence?

By using the impersonal passive (Il est prohibé), the sentence entirely removes the "doer" of the action (such as the building manager or the law). It places all the focus on the rule itself and the forbidden action (afficher des messages), which is standard practice for public notices.