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prohibir

pro-ee-BEERpɾoiˈβiɾ

“prohibir” means “to forbid” in Spanish (telling someone they cannot do something).

to forbid, to prohibit

Also: to ban
VerbA2regular with accent changes ir
A child reaching for a cookie jar while an adult gently holds their hand back and shakes their head.
gerundprohibiendo
past Participleprohibido
infinitiveprohibir

📝 In Action

Está prohibido fumar en el hospital.

A1

Smoking is forbidden in the hospital.

Mis padres me prohíben salir hasta tarde.

B1

My parents forbid me from going out late.

La ley prohíbe la venta de alcohol a menores.

B2

The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • vetar (to veto)
  • impedir (to prevent)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • prohibido el paso – no entry
  • ley que prohíbe – law that prohibits
  • prohibir terminantemente – to strictly forbid

Idioms & Expressions

  • prohibido prohibir – a slogan meaning everything should be allowed

Subjunctive

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoprohibiera
túprohibieras
él/ella/ustedprohibiera
nosotrosprohibiéramos
vosotrosprohibierais
ellos/ellas/ustedesprohibieran

Present Subjunctive

yoprohíba
túprohíbas
él/ella/ustedprohíba
nosotrosprohibamos
vosotrosprohibáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesprohíban

Indicative

Preterite

yoprohibí
túprohibiste
él/ella/ustedprohibió
nosotrosprohibimos
vosotrosprohibisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesprohibieron

Imperfect

yoprohibía
túprohibías
él/ella/ustedprohibía
nosotrosprohibíamos
vosotrosprohibíais
ellos/ellas/ustedesprohibían

Present

yoprohíbo
túprohíbes
él/ella/ustedprohíbe
nosotrosprohibimos
vosotrosprohibís
ellos/ellas/ustedesprohíben
View All Tenses & Moods →

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "prohibir" in Spanish:

to ban→to forbid→to prohibit→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: prohibir

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I forbid' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
prohibición(prohibition) — Noun
prohibido(forbidden) — Adjective
prohibitivo(prohibitive (too expensive)) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From Latin 'prohibere', which combines 'pro' (away/before) and 'habere' (to hold). It literally means 'to hold someone back' from doing something.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: prohibitFrench: prohiber

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'prohibir' and 'impedir'?

'Prohibir' means to say something is not allowed (a rule), while 'impedir' means to physically stop something from happening.

Does 'prohibir' always use the subjunctive?

If you follow it with 'que' and a new subject (e.g., 'I forbid that you...'), yes. If you just follow it with an action word (e.g., 'They forbid smoking'), you use the infinitive.

Is 'prohibir' a common word?

Yes, it is very common in both formal laws and informal house rules.