Breakdown of При пожаре использование лифта запрещено.
лифт
elevator
запретить
to forbid
при
in the presence of, under, at
использование
usage
Questions & Answers about При пожаре использование лифта запрещено.
How does при work in при пожаре, and could I just say в случае пожара?
The preposition при + Prepositional case is often used to express a surrounding condition or circumstance. Here, при пожаре translates to 'in the event of a fire' or 'during a fire'. You absolutely could use в случае пожара (in case of fire) instead. They are virtually interchangeable in this context, but при пожаре is the standard choice for safety signs because it is shorter.
Why do we use the noun использование (the use) instead of just the verb использовать (to use)?
Both are grammatically possible, but this sentence uses a formal, bureaucratic register commonly found on public signs and rules. Official Russian relies heavily on verbal nouns (like использование). Because it is a noun, the word 'elevator' must take the Genitive case (лифта), literally meaning 'the use of the elevator'.
Why does запрещено end in -о rather than being a full adjective like запрещённое?
Запрещено is a short-form passive participle. We use short forms when the word acts as the predicate of the sentence (stating what 'is done' to the subject, similar to 'is forbidden' in English). It ends in -о to agree with the neuter singular subject of the sentence, использование.
Could I say Пользоваться лифтом запрещено instead?
Yes, Пользоваться лифтом запрещено is a very natural and slightly less bureaucratic way to say this. Notice that if you switch back to a verb (пользоваться), the word for elevator has to change to the Instrumental case (лифтом) because the verb пользоваться requires it, whereas the noun использование requires the Genitive.