Breakdown of El socorrista prohíbe que usemos ese tobogán.
que
that (relative pronoun, conjunction)
ese
that (m.sg., also esa, esos, esas, eso)
usar
to use
el socorrista
the lifeguard
prohibir
to prohibit
el tobogán
the slide
Questions & Answers about El socorrista prohíbe que usemos ese tobogán.
Why is the verb usemos instead of usamos?
The verb prohibir (to prohibit or forbid) is a verb of influence. When you use it with que to tell someone what they can or cannot do, it triggers the subjunctive in the second part of the sentence. Because the lifeguard is prohibiting what we do, the present indicative usamos changes to the present subjunctive usemos.
The English translation says 'prohibits us from using', but there is no Spanish word for 'us' or 'from' before the verb. Why?
Why does prohíbe have an accent mark?
The accent mark shows that the i is pronounced as a separate, stressed syllable rather than blending with the o. Without the written accent on the weak vowel i, the natural stress would fall elsewhere, and the o and i would form a single syllable (a diphthong).
Does tobogán mean a winter sled here?
No, although it is a false friend that comes from the same root as the English word 'toboggan'. In Spain, un tobogán is a slide, like one you would find at a children's playground or a water park.
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