keelatakse

Keelatakse is the present passive form of the Estonian verb keelama, meaning to forbid or prohibit. It denotes that a particular action or state is prohibited by authority, regulation, or normative rule. The construction is common in formal and legal contexts, where it expresses prohibition without naming the agent responsible for the ban.

Grammatically, keelatakse is a passive, third-person form. It does not specify who forbids the action; the focus is on the prohibition itself. The subject of the sentence is typically a noun or noun phrase describing the prohibited activity or object, such as levitamine (distribution), kasutamine (use), or tegevus (activity). For example, “Selle materjali levitamine keelatakse” means “The distribution of this material is prohibited.”

Usage and style-wise, keelatakse appears frequently in laws, regulations, safety notices, and formal guidelines. In everyday language, Estonians more often use a practical equivalent like “on keelatud” (is forbidden) or “ei ole lubatud” (is not allowed). Keelatakse tends to convey an official, authoritative tone, aligning with statutes, administrative rules, and public signage.

Examples:

- “Selle materjali levitamine keelatakse.”

- “See tegevus keelatakse.”

Etymology and related terms: keelatakse derives from keelama, the root keel-, with the standard Estonian passive suffixes. Related words include keelatud (forbidden, as an adjective) and keelustama (to ban or to prohibit, as a verb in active voice). In translations, keelatakse is commonly rendered as “is forbidden” or “is prohibited.”