Learn Spanish (Latin America): Hace calor hoy, pero no se permite nadar. - It is hot today, but swimming is not allowed.

Using the impersonal se is the most natural way to express rules and general statements in Spanish. No se permite translates closely to 'one does not allow', but it is the standard way to say 'it is not allowed'. You will see this se structure on signs everywhere in Spanish-speaking countries.

Does the negative word no always go before the se?

Yes! When making an impersonal se statement negative, the no must always go directly before the pronoun se. You will never see se no permite.

The English translation says 'swimming'. Why don't we use the '-ing' form nadando?

In English, we often use '-ing' words as nouns (like in the phrase 'swimming is not allowed'). In Spanish, you cannot use the '-ing' form (the gerund) this way. You must always use the infinitive (the base, unconjugated verb, like nadar) when an action acts as a concept or noun.

Why do we use hace instead of está for 'it is hot'?

As a quick reminder from earlier lessons, Spanish weather expressions usually use the verb hacer (to make or to do) combined with a noun. Instead of saying 'it is hot' with the verb 'to be', Spanish speakers literally say 'it makes heat' (hace calor).