verboten
forbidden
Not allowed by a law, rule, or instruction; prohibited.
EXAMPLE
Das Füttern der Tiere im Zoo ist streng verboten.
Feeding the animals in the zoo is strictly forbidden.
verboten
forbidden
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Participle as adjective
'Verboten' (forbidden) is the past participle of the verb 'verbieten' (to forbid). It is used like a normal adjective, usually together with the verb 'sein' (to be).
EXAMPLE
Das Betreten der Baustelle ist streng verboten.
Entering the construction site is strictly forbidden.
Sentence structure with infinitive
'Verboten' (forbidden) is very often used in the structure 'Es ist verboten, … zu + infinitive' (It is forbidden to ...). This lets you express exactly which action is not allowed.
EXAMPLE
Es ist verboten, im Park Feuer zu machen.
It is forbidden to make a fire in the park.
Typical intensifiers
To emphasize the strength of a prohibition, 'verboten' (forbidden) is often strengthened by adverbs such as 'streng' (strictly), 'strikt' (strictly), or 'ausdrücklich' (expressly).
EXAMPLE
Das Rauchen ist in diesem Gebäude ausdrücklich verboten.
Smoking is expressly forbidden in this building.
Compare with
verboten vs illegal
illegal
Illegal and verboten can both express that something is not allowed. Illegal explicitly refers to a violation of the law, while verboten can also be based on a rule or instruction. Without a legal connection, verboten is therefore the more appropriate choice.
verboten
Das Parken auf dem Firmenhof ist laut Hausordnung verboten.
Parking in the company parking area is forbidden according to the house rules.
illegal
Das Parken an dieser Stelle verstößt gegen das Gesetz und ist illegal.
Parking in this spot violates the law and is illegal.
In real life
Loading video examples...