detener Negative Imperative Conjugation
detener — to stop
The negative imperative of detener uses the present subjunctive: no detengas, no detenga, no detengamos, no detengáis, no detengan.
detener Negative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Negative Imperative
Use this to tell someone not to stop or not to detain someone.
Notes on detener in the Negative Imperative
It maintains the 'g' from the 'yo' form (detengo) throughout all forms.
Example Sentences
No detengas la música todavía.
Don't stop the music yet.
tú
No detengan el trabajo por mi culpa.
Don't stop the work on my account.
No nos detengamos aquí, es peligroso.
Let's not stop here; it's dangerous.
nosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Saying 'no detén'.
Correct: no detengas
Why: Negative commands must use the subjunctive form, never the affirmative imperative form.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: detengo
The present tense of detener is irregular, featuring a 'go' form in the first person (detengo) and a stem change (e to ie) in others.
Preterite
yo: detuve
The preterite of detener is highly irregular, using the 'uv' stem: detuve, detuviste, detuvo, detuvimos, detuvisteis, detuvieron.
Imperfect
yo: detenía
The imperfect of detener is regular: detenía, detenías, detenía, deteníamos, deteníais, detenían.
Future
yo: detendré
The future tense of detener uses the irregular stem 'detendr-': detendré, detendrás, detendrá, etc.
Conditional
yo: detendría
The conditional of detener uses the irregular stem 'detendr-': detendría, detendrías, etc.
Present Subjunctive
yo: detenga
The present subjunctive of detener is based on the 'yo' form: detenga, detengas, detenga, detengamos, detengáis, detengan.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: detuviera
The imperfect subjunctive of detener uses the preterite stem 'detuvier-'.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: detén
The imperative for detener has a short 'tú' form: detén.