verb

detener

stop

Hacer que algo o alguien deje de moverse o de continuar con lo que estaba haciendo.

The Spanish word "detener" is a verb that primarily means "to stop", "to detain", or "to halt". It is a common verb used in various contexts where an action or movement is brought to a pause or interruption.

Meaning

To stop or bring to a halt: This meaning applies to physically stopping something or someone in motion.
- Example: El policía detuvo el coche (The police officer stopped the car).
To detain or arrest: In a legal or security context, it means to take someone into custody or prevent them from leaving.
- Example: La policía detuvo al sospechoso (The police detained the suspect).

Parts

The verb is a regular -er verb.
It derives from the Latin detinere, which breaks down into:
- de- (a prefix meaning "from" or "off")
- tenere (a root meaning "to hold")

Thus, "detener" literally means "to hold back" or "to keep from proceeding."

Synonyms

Parar (to stop)
Frenar (to brake, to slow down)
Aprehender (to apprehend, usually legal context)
Capturar (to capture)

Antonyms

Continuar (to continue)
Avanzar (to advance, to move forward)
Seguir (to follow, to continue)

Summary

"Detener" is a verb that indicates stopping or pausing an action or movement, or in a more formal/police context, detaining someone. Its usage depends largely on context, ranging from everyday physical stopping to legal detention.