deténganse
“deténganse” means “stop” in Spanish (telling a group of people to stop moving or doing something).
stop
Also: halt, stay put
📝 In Action
¡Deténganse! No pueden cruzar por aquí.
A2Stop! You cannot cross through here.
Por favor, deténganse un momento para escuchar las instrucciones.
B1Please, stop for a moment to listen to the instructions.
Deténganse antes de llegar a la línea roja.
B1Stop before reaching the red line.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: deténganse
Question 1 of 2
When would you most likely shout '¡Deténganse!'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the verb 'detener', which comes from Latin 'detinēre' (to hold back), combining 'de-' (away/back) and 'tenēre' (to hold).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'párense' and 'deténganse'?
Both mean 'stop' for a group. 'Párense' is more common in everyday casual speech, while 'deténganse' sounds slightly more formal or official, like something a police officer or a sign might say.
Can I use 'deténganse' to tell a car to stop?
Technically you are telling the *drivers/people* in the car to stop. If you want to talk about the car itself stopping, you'd usually use the verb 'parar'.