Breakdown of No se comporten así, es un museo tranquilo.
ser
to be
no
no, not
un
a, an (masculine)
el museo
the museum
tranquilo
quiet / calm
así
like this / like that
comportarse
to behave
Questions & Answers about No se comporten así, es un museo tranquilo.
Why is there a se before the verb?
The verb for "to behave" in Spanish is reflexive: comportarse. The se shows that the action reflects back on the people doing it (literally behaving themselves). Because the command is directed at ustedes (you all), the correct reflexive pronoun to use is se.
Why doesn't the se attach to the end of the verb, like compórtense?
This is a strict rule for negative commands. In negative commands, object and reflexive pronouns must go between the No and the conjugated verb. If this were an affirmative command, the pronoun would indeed attach to the end: ¡Compórtense!. But because it is negative, it becomes No se comporten.
Why is the verb spelled comporten instead of comportan?
Does así always mean "like that"?
Yes, así is a very common word that means "like this," "like that," or "this way." Saying No se comporten así translates perfectly to "Don't behave like that" or "Don't behave this way."
Why do we use es instead of está for "it is a quiet museum"?
We use es (from the verb ser) because the speaker is describing the fundamental nature or characteristic of the place. Even though "quiet" can sometimes feel temporary, being a "quiet museum" is treated here as a defining fact about the building, rather than a temporary mood.
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