Breakdown of У нас строго: здесь нельзя курить.
здесь
here
мы
we
у
at, by
нельзя
one must not
курить
to smoke
строго
strictly
Questions & Answers about У нас строго: здесь нельзя курить.
Why does this sentence use the imperfective verb курить with нельзя?
When combined with нельзя, an imperfective verb like курить expresses that an action is prohibited or forbidden. It means you are strictly not allowed to smoke.
What would it mean if we used the perfective verb покурить instead?
If you used the perfective покурить, it would change the meaning from a prohibition to a physical or circumstantial impossibility. Здесь нельзя покурить would mean you physically cannot manage to smoke here, perhaps because the wind is too strong to light a match or you lack the time.
Why is строго used here instead of an adjective?
This is an impersonal sentence describing a general atmosphere or state, so it requires the adverb строго. There is no specific noun here for an adjective to attach to; the sentence simply expresses that things are strict.
Does у нас mean we have in this sentence?
While у нас often translates to we have for possession, here it indicates a location or domain. It means at our place, in our office, or in our home, setting the environment where these strict rules apply.
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