proibire

to prohibit, to forbid

verb proh-ee-BEE-reh Less Common

Origin: Latin 'prohibere,' from 'pro-' + 'habere' (to hold back).

Usage Note

Proibire is conjugated like finire (isc-verb): proibisco, proibisci, proibisce in the singular and third-person plural. It takes avere in compound tenses and is followed by di + infinitive: ti proibisco di uscire (I forbid you to go out). It is slightly more formal than vietare, which is the everyday word on signs and notices (vietato fumare = no smoking).

Examples

"La legge proibisce la vendita ai minori."

Natural Translation

The law prohibits sales to minors.

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