Questions & Answers about Здесь разрешают курить.
Why does the sentence use the "they" form (разрешают) if the English translation says "is allowed"?
In Russian, to express a general fact without a specific subject, you often use the third-person plural ("they" form) of the verb without the pronoun они. Literally, it means "Here they allow to smoke," which translates naturally to the English passive structure "Smoking is allowed here."
Why do we use the imperfective verb курить here?
Курить refers to the general, ongoing activity of smoking, not a single completed action. When talking about general rules or permissions, Russian uses the imperfective aspect. This connects to what you are learning about prohibitions: just like negative commands (such as "Don't smoke!") use the imperfective for general rules, so do general permissions.
Is it wrong to include the pronoun они and say Здесь они разрешают курить?
In this context, yes. If you add они, you are talking about a specific, known group of people (for example, "my parents allow it"). Leaving они out is exactly what makes the sentence a general, impersonal statement meaning "it is allowed."
Could I say Здесь разрешается курить instead?
Yes! Using the reflexive verb разрешается is another very common way to say "is allowed." It means the exact same thing but sounds slightly more formal, like the text on an official sign, whereas разрешают is a bit more conversational.
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