Breakdown of Der Handel mit Drogen ist verboten.
sein
to be
mit
with
der Handel
the trade
verbieten
to forbid
die Droge
the drug
Questions & Answers about Der Handel mit Drogen ist verboten.
Why do we use mit Drogen instead of literally translating "in drugs"?
The noun der Handel (trade) and its related verb handeln (to trade) require the preposition mit to indicate what is being bought and sold. Using a literal translation of "in" here would sound incorrect to a native speaker.
Why does the sentence start with Der Handel rather than just Handel?
German frequently requires definite articles for abstract nouns used in a general or universal sense. While English leaves out the article in "Trade in drugs is forbidden," German needs Der to refer to the entire concept of trade.
Does the word Drogen mean the exact same thing as the English word "drugs"?
Only partially. In German, Drogen specifically refers to illegal or recreational narcotics. If you are talking about medical drugs or pharmaceuticals, you must use words like Medikamente or Arzneimittel instead.
What grammar structure is happening with ist verboten?
This is the state passive, known in German as the Zustandspassiv. It uses the verb sein alongside a past participle to describe a condition that is the result of a completed action. It tells us that the ban is currently in effect, rather than describing the action of someone actively banning it (which would use wird verboten).
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