Confusing Past Tenses

'Detuvo' is the simple past tense (preterite) used when talking about a single, completed action in the past by a third person (he, she, or formal you).

Tense Identification

The verb 'detener' is irregular, following the pattern of 'tener' (to have). Notice the 'u' (detUvo, tUve) in the simple past.

Irregularity Pattern

Use 'detuvo' when the stopping action is the main point and the result is known (e.g., the car is now still).

Focus on the Result

Extremely common, used daily when talking about past events, actions, or travel.

In this meaning, 'detuvo' often implies an official or legal action, usually carried out by law enforcement or border patrol.

Formal Context

If you mean 'arrested,' you can use 'arrestó' for clarity, but 'detuvo' is often the preferred, more neutral term in Spanish news.

Avoiding Ambiguity

Common in news reports, legal contexts, and discussions of crime.

Missing the Reflexive Pronoun

When the subject stops *themselves* (He stopped), you must use the reflexive pronoun 'se' (Se detuvo). Without 'se', it means He stopped *something else* (Él detuvo el coche).

The 'Se' Difference

Extremely common in everyday narration when describing someone stopping their own movement.

Learn the meaning and conjugation of the Spanish word 'detuvo,' the simple past form of 'detener' (to stop, to detain). Includes examples for movement and legal contexts.

Detuvo Meaning, Conjugation & Usage | Spanish Verb Detener

Save words with our smart SRS, track your progress, and access the full library in the Inklingo app.

Take Your Learning to the Next Level

No boring lessons. Just beautiful stories you can actually understand. Try free for 7 days.

Start Reading Spanish Today

Move beyond Duolingo with illustrated stories designed for your level. Start reading from day one.

Ready to Read Real Spanish?

Read illustrated stories at your level. Tap to translate. Track your progress. Try free for 7 days.

Learn Spanish Through Stories

200+ illustrated Spanish stories from A1 to Advanced. Tap any word for instant translation.

Practice Reading with Real Stories

200+ illustrated stories from beginner to advanced. Tap any word to translate. Track your progress.

Learn Spanish the fun way

You hit your target for today

Daily Goal Complete!

200+ illustrated stories with tap-to-translate, word-by-word audio & progress tracking. Free to download.

Check your inbox!

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep going — every word brings you closer to fluency.

You reached a new level

Level Up!

Sign in with 1 click to save words and build your personal vocabulary

Save Your Progress

200+ illustrated stories at every level. Tap any word to translate. Audio for every word.

Want more stories like this?

You're in!

Welcome, {name}!

Unlock Instant Translations

Master Spanish verb conjugation with complete tables for all tenses and moods, plus interactive practice exercises. Browse and search over {verbCount} verbs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spanish Conjugations

Explore full conjugations for {verbCount} Spanish verbs. Search by verb, translation, or filter by ending to find exactly what you need.

Spanish Verb Conjugator

Master Every Tense

A filterable list of {verbCount} Spanish verbs with full conjugation tables.

Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like ''{infinitive}'' used naturally — in the tenses you''re learning.

Master Spanish verbs in context

Complete {tenseDisplay} forms for the Spanish verb ''{infinitive}'' ({translation}), with examples, common mistakes, and usage guidance.

Conjugation tables are the start. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see ''{infinitive}'' in action across real sentences — and build the instinct that native speakers have.

Take {infinitive} from tables to real Spanish

Complete conjugation tables and interactive practice exercises.

Interactive conjugation exercises for the Spanish verb '{infinitive}'

Complete conjugation tables and interactive practice exercises for the Spanish verb '{infinitive}' ({translation}). Master all tenses and moods with our conjugation trainer.

The Spanish verb '{infinitive}' meaning '{translation}'.

Test your knowledge with interactive exercises

Verb conjugation is the backbone of Spanish communication. Every sentence you speak or write requires at least one conjugated verb, and getting it right determines whether you sound fluent or confused.

The good news: Spanish has clear patterns. Regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs follow predictable rules, and the 20 most common irregular verbs cover the vast majority of everyday conversation. Master those, and you''re already ahead of most learners.

Past, present, future, hypothetical — conjugations let you place actions exactly when they happened or might happen.

Wrong conjugations can change who did what. ''Hablé'' (I spoke) vs ''habló'' (he spoke) — one accent mark, completely different meaning.

DELE, AP Spanish, and university placement tests all heavily test conjugation accuracy. It''s the most testable skill in Spanish.

When conjugation becomes automatic, you stop translating in your head and start thinking directly in Spanish. That''s true fluency.

Spanish has 14 major verb tenses across 3 moods (indicative, subjunctive, imperative), but just 3 tenses — present, preterite, and imperfect — account for over 80% of verbs used in everyday speech. Focus there first.

Why Mastering Conjugations Is Essential

Go beyond simple translations with multiple example sentences for each word, showing you how to use vocabulary naturally in real conversations.

💬 Context is Key

Every core word is paired with a unique image to create strong memory links, helping you learn faster and recall vocabulary more effectively.

🎨 Learn Visually

Listen to crystal-clear audio from native speakers for every entry, ensuring you build an authentic Spanish accent from day one.

🔊 Master Pronunciation

Words are organized by CEFR level (A1-C2), so you can focus on the most relevant vocabulary for your proficiency and study goals.

📈 Structured for Learners

Your ultimate guide to Spanish vocabulary. Explore {totalWordCount} words with images, native audio, contextual examples, and CEFR levels designed for learners.

Browse {totalWords} Spanish words organized by grammatical category. Each category includes detailed explanations, CEFR levels, translations, and usage examples.

Browse Spanish words by grammatical category. Explore {totalWords} words organized by parts of speech with translations and examples.

Comprehensive guide to Spanish {pluralPosLower}. Learn grammar rules, usage patterns, and explore {wordCount} {pluralPosLower} with translations and examples.

Explore our complete collection of Spanish {pluralPosLower}, organized by CEFR proficiency level. Click any word to see detailed definitions, usage examples, and pronunciation guides.

Explore these {pluralPosLower} with images and audio pronunciation from our visual dictionary.

Search and browse {wordCount} Spanish words with English translations, images, audio, and CEFR levels. An essential tool for Spanish learners.

❌ Common Pitfalls

🔄 Conjugations

🧠 Deeper Learning

📝 In Action

Quick Quiz:

Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!

💡 Master Spanish

Words that Rhyme with {word}

Word Family

Words that translate to "{word}" in Spanish:

Translate to Spanish

Practice the pronunciation of this word with these Spanish tongue twisters.

{word} - Spanish Dictionary

Select a letter to see a complete list of all Spanish words in our dictionary that begin with it.

Browse {wordCount} Spanish {wordPlural} that {startVerb} with the letter {letter}, organized by part of speech.

Browse {wordCount} Spanish words that start with the letter {letter}. Complete with translations, definitions, and examples.

detuvo

Complete Conjugation Tables

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

future

imperfect

conditional

preterite

imperative

negative

affirmative

subjunctive

present

imperfect

Practice Conjugations

Take detuvo from tables to real Spanish