Spanish Conversation · Level 19
90 words
Spanish word
detener
Pronunciation
IPA/deteˈneɾ/
Meaning
- verbstop
Example
¿Puedes detener el coche?
Could you stop the car?
More examples
La policía logró detener al sospechoso.
The police managed to detain the suspect.
Core concept
Two hands stopping a moving conveyor belt.
Common phrases
detener el coche
stop the car
detener a alguien
detain someone
detener el tráfico
bring traffic to a stop
Similar words
parar: Brings movement or work to a halt, ending its ongoing activity.
detenerse: Comes to a stop of its own accord and remains in place.
frenar: Reduces speed by braking or resistance, moving closer to a stop.
impedir: Prevents an event or action from occurring, blocking it beforehand.
Definition in Spanish
Impedir que algo continúe o interrumpir su desarrollo; verbo transitivo aplicable a acciones, procesos o conversaciones.
Word origin
From Latin detinēre (de- 'away' + tenēre 'to hold'), literally 'hold away' and figuratively 'stop from advancing'.
Usage tips
- The reflexive detenerse commonly signals that the subject stops itself, so detenerse fits pausing a task while interrumpir usually refers to cutting off someone's speech.