detenerlo
deh-teh-NEHR-loh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Intentaron detenerlo antes de que cruzara la frontera.
B1They tried to stop him before he crossed the border.
La policía tuvo que detenerlo por exceso de velocidad.
B2The police had to detain him for speeding.
Es imposible detenerlo una vez que toma una decisión.
A2It's impossible to stop him once he makes a decision.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Infinitive + Pronoun' Rule
This word is the base verb 'detener' combined with the pronoun 'lo'. When you use a verb in its base form (the infinitive), you attach the word for the person or thing receiving the action (like 'lo') directly to the end, forming one word.
What 'lo' means here
In 'detenerlo,' 'lo' means 'him' or 'it' (if the 'it' is a masculine noun). This structure tells you who or what is being stopped.
Placement Flexibility
You can usually put 'lo' either before the helping verb or attached to the infinitive: 'Quiero detenerlo' (I want to stop him) is the same as 'Lo quiero detener'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Separating the Pronoun
Mistake: "No puedo lo detener."
Correction: No puedo detenerlo. (When attaching the pronoun to the infinitive, it must be one word. The only other option is placing 'lo' before the conjugated verb: 'No lo puedo detener.')
⭐ Usage Tips
Stress and Accent Mark
When you add 'lo' or other pronouns to an infinitive, the stress of the word naturally shifts. To keep the stress on the original syllable (NEH in detener), you need to add an accent mark, but only if the resulting word is three syllables or longer. Since 'detenerlo' is four syllables, the accent is mandatory: detener + lo → detenerlo.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: detenerlo
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'detenerlo'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'detenerlo' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is added because when you attach the short pronoun 'lo' to the longer infinitive 'detener', the natural stress of the word would shift. The accent mark ('é') tells you to keep the stress on the original syllable (NEH), making the word flow correctly.
Can I use 'detenerlo' to mean 'stop the car'?
Yes, if the word for 'car' (coche/carro) is masculine, you can use 'detenerlo'. If you use the feminine word 'máquina' (machine/car), you would need to say 'detenerla'.