Inklingo

How to Say "to pause" in Spanish

English → Spanish

detenerme

/deh-teh-NEHR-meh//deteˈneɾme/

verbA2general
Use 'detenerme' when you want to express stopping yourself or taking a deliberate break from an activity, often to rest or attend to a personal need.
A cartoon figure running quickly who has suddenly stopped, leaning back slightly with feet planted firmly on the ground, showing a clear halt in physical movement.

Examples

Necesito detenerme un momento para beber agua.

I need to pause for a moment to drink water.

No pude detenerme antes de chocar contra la pared.

I couldn't stop myself before hitting the wall.

¿Por qué no quieres detenerme cuando hablo demasiado?

Why don't you want to stop me when I talk too much?

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'.

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.

detenerte

/deh-teh-NEHR-teh//deteˈnerte/

verbA2general
Use 'detenerte' when you mean to stop an action you are performing, especially in a situation that requires you to halt before proceeding, like stopping before crossing a street.
A person coming to a complete stop on a forest path.

Examples

Tienes que detenerte antes de cruzar la calle.

You have to stop before crossing the street.

No puedes detenerte ahora, ¡estás casi terminando!

You can't stop now, you're almost finished!

The 'te' at the end

The 'te' attached to the end of 'detener' tells us the action is happening to 'you'. It's like saying 'to stop yourself'.

When to use this form

Use this specific 'to' form after words like 'need' (necesitas), 'want' (quieres), or 'must' (debes).

The 'te' position

Mistake: “No puedes te detener.”

Correction: No puedes detenerte (or 'No te puedes detener'). The 'te' must either stick to the end of the action word or go before the main helping verb.

Stopping vs. Taking a Break

Learners often confuse 'detenerme' and 'detenerte' because both involve stopping. Remember that 'detenerme' implies a personal, often voluntary pause for rest or a brief interruption, while 'detenerte' is more about ceasing an action, especially when required by external circumstances or safety.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.