不能停车。

Using this phrase is very simple. You can say it as a complete sentence if you see someone trying to park where they shouldn't. If you are the driver, you might ask a friend, 这里可以停车吗？ (Can I park here?). They might point to a sign and say, 这里不能停车 (You can't park here). It functions as both a warning and a statement of fact. You don't need fancy grammar to make this work.

You use this whenever wheels are involved. This applies to cars, scooters, and even bicycles in some cases. Use it when you are navigating the chaotic streets of a city like Shanghai. Use it when you are helping a friend back into a tight spot. It is also perfect for texting a friend who is looking for your apartment. Just send: 门口不能停车 (You can't park at the entrance).

Don't use this if you want to sound extremely official or legalistic. On formal government signs, you might see 禁止停车 instead. 不能 is a bit more conversational and 'soft' than the harsh 禁止. Also, don't use it if the car is already parked and you want them to move. In that case, you'd say 请挪车 (Please move the car). Using 不能停车 then sounds like you're explaining a rule they already broke.

In China’s mega-cities, finding a parking spot is like winning the lottery. Because space is so limited, people get very creative with where they leave their cars. This has led to a 'war of signs.' You will see 不能停车 hand-painted on garage doors or even taped to chairs in the street. It’s a constant tug-of-war between drivers and shop owners. Sometimes, people add 后果自负 (at your own risk) to sound more threatening!

You will often hear 这里不让停车 (They don't let you park here). The word 让 implies that a person or authority is the one forbidding it. Another common one is 没位子了 (No more spaces). If a security guard waves his hands at you and yells 停不了, he’s telling you it’s physically or legally impossible to park there. It’s all part of the fast-paced urban dance.