Breakdown of Se prohíbe compartir audífonos en la biblioteca.
en
in
la biblioteca
the library
compartir
to share
se
one
el audífono
the earphone
prohibir
to prohibit
Questions & Answers about Se prohíbe compartir audífonos en la biblioteca.
Why does the sentence use Se prohíbe instead of No se permite?
Both constructions indicate that something isn’t allowed, but:
- Se prohíbe (from prohibir) is stronger, more formal and common on signs or official notices—“It is forbidden to….”
- No se permite (“It is not permitted to…”) sounds milder, as if simply denying permission rather than issuing a strict ban.
What is the function of se in Se prohíbe compartir audífonos?
Here se creates an impersonal (or passive-reflexive) structure. There is no specific subject (“they,” “we,” etc.). The formula se + third-person singular verb means “one must not” or “it is forbidden to” in general.
Why is compartir in the infinitive rather than conjugated?
After verbs like prohibir in impersonal constructions, Spanish uses the infinitive to refer to the general action being forbidden. It’s equivalent to “to share” in English, not tied to any particular person or tense.
Why isn’t there an article before audífonos (for example, los or unos)?
Because we’re talking about headphones in general, not specific ones. Spanish often omits the article when expressing rules or generalities. Adding los audífonos would refer to a particular set of headphones.
What exactly does audífonos mean in Latin America?
In most of Latin America, audífonos means headphones or earphones—the personal listening devices you wear on or in your ears.
Can I use auriculares instead of audífonos?
Yes. In Spain and some regions, auriculares is more common. In parts of Latin America you may also hear cascos (especially for over-ear headphones), but audífonos is generally the safest choice in Latin America.
Could the sign say Prohibido compartir audífonos en la biblioteca instead?
Absolutely. Prohibido + infinitive is a concise, fully acceptable way to word a rule on a sign. It literally reads “Forbidden to share headphones in the library.”
Why use en la biblioteca instead of dentro de la biblioteca?
En simply marks the location where the rule applies: “in the library.” Dentro de (“inside of”) is more specific and can sound redundant for a brief sign. Most notices prefer the shorter en.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How does verb conjugation work in Spanish?”
Spanish verbs change form based on the subject, tense, and mood. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns depending on whether they end in ‑ar, ‑er, or ‑ir. For example, "hablar" (to speak) becomes "hablo" (I speak), "hablas" (you speak), and "habla" (he/she speaks) in the present tense.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning SpanishMaster Spanish — from Se prohíbe compartir audífonos en la biblioteca to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions