Questions & Answers about Ребёнок не должен бросать мусор в парке.
What does не должен mean here—must not, shouldn’t, or is not supposed to?
не должен literally means is not obligated / is not supposed to, and in practice it often corresponds to must not or shouldn’t, depending on context and tone.
- As a rule/sign: it can feel like must not (is not allowed / is obliged not to).
- In advice/moral sense: it can feel closer to shouldn’t (it’s wrong / not appropriate).
So the strength comes from situation, not just the words.
Why is it Ребёнок (singular)? Does it mean a child or the child?
Russian has no articles (a/the), so Ребёнок can mean a child, the child, or even children in general depending on context.
- In a general rule, singular can mean any child (generic singular).
- In a story, it could mean that specific child.
What part of speech is должен, and why does it look like an adjective?