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prohibir

pro-ee-BEER/pɾoiˈβiɾ/

“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

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

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

present

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

indicative

preterite

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

imperfect

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

present

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

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "prohibir" in Spanish:

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.