How to Say "to forbid" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to forbid” is “prohibir” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Está prohibido fumar en el hospital.
Smoking is forbidden in the hospital.
Mis padres me prohíben salir hasta tarde.
My parents forbid me from going out late.
La ley prohíbe la venta de alcohol a menores.
The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors.
The Accent Mark Rule
When you say 'I forbid' (prohíbo) or 'you forbid' (prohíbes), the 'i' gets an accent mark. This tells you to pronounce the 'i' clearly as 'EE' so it doesn't blend into the 'o' or 'e'.
Using 'Que' for Commands
If you are forbidding someone from doing something with a full sentence, use 'que' followed by the 'special wish form' (subjunctive). For example: 'Te prohíbo que vayas' (I forbid you to go).
The 'From' Trap
Mistake: “Me prohíbe de ir.”
Correction: Me prohíbe ir (or 'Me prohíbe que vaya'). Spanish doesn't need the word 'de' (from) after forbid like English often does.
Related Translations
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