detenerme
/deh-teh-NEHR-meh/
to stop myself
Detenerme means 'to stop myself' when referring to physical movement.
detenerme(verb)
to stop myself
?physical movement or action
,to pause
?taking a break
to halt
?formal or military context
📝 In Action
Necesito detenerme un momento para beber agua.
A2I need to stop myself for a moment to drink water.
No pude detenerme antes de chocar contra la pared.
B1I couldn't stop myself before hitting the wall.
¿Por qué no quieres detenerme cuando hablo demasiado?
B2Why don't you want to stop me when I talk too much?
💡 Grammar Points
Reflexive Action
The 'me' at the end tells you that 'I' am doing the action to 'myself'. If you want someone else to stop, you drop the 'me' and use a different pronoun, like 'detenerte' (to stop yourself, singular).
Placement Rule
When using an infinitive (the base form of the verb, like 'detener'), you can attach the pronoun ('me') to the end, or you can place it before the conjugated verb: 'Quiero detenerme' is the same as 'Me quiero detener'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Reflexive
Mistake: "Voy a detener el coche."
Correction: Voy a detenerme (if you mean stopping *yourself*, not the car). 'Detener' without the 'me' usually means stopping an outside object or person.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'Tener' Connection
'Detener' is irregular, just like the common verb 'tener' (to have). This means they share the same odd stem changes in many tenses (e.g., 'detuve'/'tuve' and 'detengo'/'tengo').
When used in the context of thoughts, detenerme means 'to dwell on' or focus intensely on details.
detenerme(verb)
to dwell on
?thoughts or details
,to take time with
?a topic or idea
to focus on
?mental concentration
📝 In Action
No quiero detenerme demasiado en los detalles de la tragedia.
B1I don't want to dwell too much on the details of the tragedy.
Es importante detenerme a analizar los resultados antes de decidir.
B2It's important to take time to analyze the results before deciding.
💡 Grammar Points
Preposition 'En'
When 'detenerme' means 'to dwell on a topic,' it almost always needs the preposition 'en' right after it, meaning 'on' or 'in': 'Me detengo en el libro' (I pause on the book).
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing Mental Focus
Use this form when you are making a conscious choice to slow down your mental process to examine something specific. Think of it as 'holding' your attention on a subject.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: detenerme
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'detenerme' to mean 'to pause'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'detenerme' have 'me' at the end?
The 'me' is a special pronoun that tells you the action of stopping is focused back on the person doing it (you are stopping yourself). This is called a reflexive verb in Spanish.
When do I attach 'me' to the end, and when do I put it before the verb?
You attach 'me' to the end only when the verb is in its non-conjugated form (infinitive: detenerme; gerund: deteniéndome). If the verb is conjugated (like 'detengo'), the 'me' must go before it: 'Yo me detengo'.