Во время учений лучше не пользоваться лифтом.

Во время means during.

It is a fixed expression built from в + время:

• во время урока = during the lesson
• во время дождя = during the rain
• во время учений = during the drills

The form во instead of в is used for easier pronunciation before certain consonant combinations.

Because во время requires the genitive case.

The word here is учения in the sense of drills / exercises / maneuvers. Its genitive plural form is учений.

So:

• учения = drills, exercises
• во время учений = during the drills

This is one of those cases where the case is determined by the expression before it.

Here учения means drills, especially organized emergency, military, or safety exercises.

So in a building sign or safety instruction, во время учений would usually mean something like:

• during emergency drills
• during fire drills
• during training exercises

It does not mean studies here.

This is a very common Russian pattern:

• лучше + infinitive = it’s better to ...
• лучше не + infinitive = it’s better not to ...

So:

• лучше не пользоваться лифтом = it’s better not to use the elevator

There is no explicit subject like you in Russian here. The sentence is general, like English It’s better not to use the elevator or You’d better not use the elevator.

Grammatically, it sounds like advice/recommendation, not a direct command.

• лучше не пользоваться лифтом = it’s better not to use the elevator

A more direct command would be something like:

• Не пользуйтесь лифтом. = Do not use the elevator.
• Запрещается пользоваться лифтом. = Using the elevator is prohibited.

That said, on signs and public notices, лучше не... can still function as a fairly strong practical instruction.

Both can often translate as to use, but пользоваться is very common when talking about using a tool, service, device, or means of transport.

• пользоваться лифтом = to use the elevator
• пользоваться телефоном = to use the phone
• пользоваться словарём = to use a dictionary

Использовать often sounds a bit more neutral, technical, or deliberate:

• использовать метод
• использовать материалы
• использовать возможность

In this sentence, пользоваться лифтом is the most natural choice.

Because пользоваться is a verb that simply has that form in Russian. The -ся here is part of the verb.

It comes historically from a reflexive form, but for a learner, the important thing is to treat пользоваться as a dictionary verb meaning to use / make use of.

You learn it as:

• пользоваться чем?
  • instrumental

So the key thing is not to translate the -ся literally as oneself here.

Because пользоваться takes the instrumental case.

So:

• лифт = elevator, lift
• лифтом = by/with the elevator, using the elevator

Compare:

• пользоваться телефоном = to use the phone
• пользоваться компьютером = to use the computer
• пользоваться лифтом = to use the elevator

This is an important pattern to memorize:

• пользоваться + instrumental

Yes.

Breakdown:

• не = not
• пользоваться = to use
• лифтом = the elevator (instrumental after пользоваться)

So:

• не пользоваться лифтом = not to use the elevator

In the full sentence:

• лучше не пользоваться лифтом = it is better not to use the elevator

Russian has no articles like a or the.

So лифтом can mean:

• an elevator
• the elevator

Which one is meant depends on context. In this sentence, English naturally uses the elevator, because the situation is specific and practical.

Yes. Russian word order is flexible.

The original:

• Во время учений лучше не пользоваться лифтом.

You could also say:

• Лучше не пользоваться лифтом во время учений.

Both mean essentially the same thing: During drills, it’s better not to use the elevator.

The original version puts во время учений first, which helps set the situation right away.

Because the sentence is talking about a general rule or recommendation, not one completed action.

• пользоваться = imperfective, focusing on the process/habit/general use
• воспользоваться = perfective, to make use of / use on a particular occasion

In a warning or instruction like this, Russian normally uses the imperfective:

• не пользоваться лифтом = do not use the elevator / better not use the elevator

That sounds natural for a rule applying during a period of time.

Yes, that is a very natural translation.

Depending on tone and context, possible English versions include:

• During drills, it’s better not to use the elevator.
• During drills, you shouldn’t use the elevator.
• It’s best not to use the elevator during drills.

Since you said the meaning is already known, the key point is that the Russian expresses a general recommendation rather than a sharply worded prohibition.