Breakdown of Este letrero dice que se prohíbe fumar.
que
that / than
este
this
decir
to say, to tell
el letrero
the sign
Questions & Answers about Este letrero dice que se prohíbe fumar.
Why do we use se prohíbe here instead of just es prohibido?
This uses the impersonal se. In English, we often use the passive voice ("smoking is prohibited") or a general subject ("they prohibit smoking") for rules. In Spanish, placing se before a third-person verb is the most natural and common way to express these general rules where there isn't a specific person doing the prohibiting.
If the sign prohibited multiple things, like "dogs are prohibited", would the verb change?
Yes! When using the impersonal se to state what is allowed, sold, or prohibited, the verb matches the thing being talked about. Because fumar (an action) counts as singular, we use the singular se prohíbe. If the sign said "dogs are prohibited", the verb would be plural to match the dogs: se prohíben los perros.
The English translation says "smoking", so why doesn't the Spanish sentence use the -ando form (fumando)?
In English, we add "-ing" to a verb to turn it into a noun (the concept of "smoking"). In Spanish, you must always use the infinitive (the base form, fumar) when a verb acts as a noun. Fumando is a gerund, which is only used for actions in progress right now, like "I am smoking" (estoy fumando).
Why is it Este letrero and not Esto letrero?