Não fume aqui, é proibido.

Breakdown of Não fume aqui, é proibido.

ser
to be
não
not / no
aqui
here
fumar
to smoke
proibido
forbidden

Questions & Answers about Não fume aqui, é proibido.

Why does the verb end in -e (fume) instead of the usual -a (fuma)?
Fume is the formal (você) command form of fumar (to smoke). To form negative commands, Portuguese uses the present subjunctive. For regular -ar verbs, this means swapping the usual -a ending for an -e.
How would I change this sentence to tell a close friend not to smoke?
You would say "Não fumes aqui...". For informal (tu) negative commands, you also use the subjunctive form, which adds -es to -ar verbs. Notice that this is different from the positive informal command, which would just be fuma.
Why do we use é (from ser) instead of está (from estar) for "it is"?
We use é because rules, laws, and general truths are treated as permanent facts in Portuguese. Estar is generally reserved for temporary states or conditions, so it doesn't fit for a standing rule.
Will proibido ever change to proibida if a woman is speaking?
No, it stays proibido. When an adjective describes a general action or idea (like the act of smoking) rather than a specific noun, it always takes the default masculine singular form, regardless of who is speaking.

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