Also means
to block
Usage Note
Impedir is an -ir stem-changing verb (e→i): impido, impides, impide… It is typically followed by an infinitive or a que + subjunctive: impidió que entraran ('he prevented them from entering'). Unlike prevenir ('to prevent by prior action'), impedir focuses on blocking something in progress. Common collocations: impedir el paso ('to block the way').
Examples
"La policía impidió el paso a los manifestantes."
Natural Translation
The police blocked the way for the protesters.
Literal Translation
The police blocked the passage to the protesters
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