detenerse

Detenerse is a Spanish reflexive verb that denotes stopping oneself or pausing movement or progress. It can refer to a physical halt, such as a person or vehicle stopping, or to a temporary pause in a task, plan, or line of thought. In some contexts it also conveys delaying something briefly or interrupting an action for a moment. The term is widely used across Spanish-speaking regions with similar meanings.

Common uses include detenerse a + infinitive, meaning to stop in order to do something: “Se detuvo a pensar” or “se detuvo a comer.” Detenerse en or detenerse en un lugar expresses stopping at a place: “La caravana se detuvo en la frontera.” It can also indicate a sudden halt: “Se detuvo en seco.” While detenerse often conveys un esfuerzo or delay, the nonreflexive detener is used for stopping or arresting something or someone else, as in “detener a un sospechoso.”

Conjugation and forms: detención is the related noun for arrest or detention, while detención of the reflexive verb follows the standard verb conjugation patterns for detener with the corresponding reflexive pronouns. Present indicative: me detengo, te detienes, se detiene, nos detenemos, os detenéis, se detienen. Preterite: me detuve, te detuviste, se detuvo, nos detuvimos, os detuvisteis, se detuvieron. Imperfect: me detenía, te detenía, se detenía, nos deteníamos, os deteníais, se detenían. Imperative: detente, deténgase, detengaos, deténganse.

Etymology and related terms: detenerse derives from detener, which comes from Latin detinēre (to hold back). Related concepts include parar, frenar, interrumpir, and charla sobre dejar de + infinitivo for the sense of ceasing an activity. See also pararse for a closely related physical sense of stopping.