A high-quality, simple storybook illustration of a single human hand raised with the palm facing forward, performing the universal gesture to signal 'stop.'

detenga

deh-TENG-gah

VerbB1irregular (similar to tener) er

stop?as a command or wish,detain?as a command or wish, legal context

Also:hold up?delay,halt?formal command

Quick Reference

infinitivedetener

gerunddeteniendo

past Participledetenido

📝 In Action

Es crucial que el tren se detenga antes del cruce.

It is crucial that the train stop before the crossing.

No detenga el proceso; siga trabajando.

Don't stop the process; keep working.

El presidente pidió que nadie detenga las negociaciones.

The president asked that no one hold up the negotiations.

Word Connections

Synonyms

parar (to stop)
arrestar (to arrest)

Antonyms

continuar (to continue)
soltar (to release)

Common Collocations

que se detenga – that it stops
detenga el coche – stop the car (formal command)

💡 Grammar Points

Subjunctive Use

The form 'detenga' is used after expressions of desire, necessity, or emotion (e.g., 'Quiero que...' or 'Es necesario que...'). It expresses uncertainty or influence.

Formal Command

When giving a formal instruction to 'Usted' (formal you), 'detenga' is the affirmative command, and 'no detenga' is the negative command.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Misusing the Base Verb

Mistake: "Espero que la policía lo detiene."

Correction: Espero que la policía lo detenga. (The wish/hope triggers the special subjunctive form.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Irregularity Tip

Remember that 'detener' follows the same irregular pattern as 'tener' (to have). Just as 'tener' becomes 'tenga' in the subjunctive, 'detener' becomes 'detenga'.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/usteddetiene

yodetengo

túdetienes

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetienen

nosotrosdetenemos

vosotrosdetenéis

imperfect

él/ella/usteddetenía

yodetenía

túdetenías

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetenían

nosotrosdeteníamos

vosotrosdeteníais

preterite

él/ella/usteddetuvo

yodetuve

túdetuviste

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetuvieron

nosotrosdetuvimos

vosotrosdetuvisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/usteddetenga

yodetenga

túdetengas

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetengan

nosotrosdetengamos

vosotrosdetengáis

imperfect

él/ella/usteddetuviera/detuviese

yodetuviera/detuviese

túdetuvieras/detuvieses

ellos/ellas/ustedesdetuvieran/detuviesen

nosotrosdetuviéramos/detuviésemos

vosotrosdetuvierais/detuvieseis

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: detenga

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'detenga' as a formal command?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

detener(to stop, to detain) - verb

detención(detention, arrest) - noun

detenido(detained person, stopped) - noun/adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'detenga' the only form of the verb 'detener'?

'Detenga' is just one specific form. It serves as the 'yo' form and the 'él/ella/usted' form in the present subjunctive, and the 'usted' form in the imperative (commands). The base verb is 'detener'.

Why is 'detener' considered irregular?

It is irregular because it does not follow the standard conjugation rules for '-er' verbs. Specifically, it shares its irregularity with the verb 'tener' (to have), especially in the present tense (detengo, detienes) and the preterite (detuve, detuvo).