The Present Tense of detenerse is used to describe actions that are happening right now or that occur habitually. For example, Me detengo en la tienda para comprar pan. (I stop at the store to buy bread.)

Detenerse is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow the typical patterns of regular verbs. You’ll need to memorize its specific conjugations in each tense.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Detenerse (to stop) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):

Detenerse generally means to stop or halt, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To stop moving: For example, Me detengo en la esquina (I stop at the corner).

To pause or take a break: For example, Me detengo a descansar un rato (I stop to rest for a while).

To stay or remain somewhere: For example, Me detengo en el hotel por una semana (I stay at the hotel for a week).

To halt or cease an action: For example, Me detengo de fumar (I stop smoking).

To arrest or detain (colloquial): For example, La policía me detiene por conducir borracho (The police stop me for drunk driving).

To linger or dwell on something (colloquial): For example, No te detengas en los detalles (Don’t dwell on the details).

Examples

Examples of Detenerse in the Present Tense

Cuando el semáforo se detiene en rojo, los vehículos se detienen. (When the traffic light turns red, the vehicles stop.)

En la clase de yoga, el instructor nos dice: “Respiren profundamente y deténganse un momento”. (In the yoga class, the instructor tells us: “Breathe deeply and pause for a moment”.)

¿Por qué te detienes tanto en los detalles? Avancemos con el proyecto. (Why do you dwell so much on the details? Let’s move forward with the project.)

Cuando viajo, me detengo a admirar los paisajes y tomar fotografías. (When I travel, I stop to admire the scenery and take pictures.)

En la fiesta, la música se detiene de repente y todos se detienen para ver qué pasa. (At the party, the music suddenly stops and everyone stops to see what’s happening.)

Antes de cruzar la calle, deténganse y miren a ambos lados. (Before crossing the street, stop and look both ways.)

Cuando nos detenemos a pensar en nuestras metas, podemos tomar mejores decisiones. (When we pause to think about our goals, we can make better decisions.)

En el restaurante, el mesero se detiene en cada mesa para tomar las órdenes. (At the restaurant, the waiter stops at each table to take orders.)

¿Puedes detenerte un momento? Necesito preguntarte algo. (Can you stop for a moment? I need to ask you something.)

Cuando os detenéis a escuchar, podéis aprender mucho de los demás. (When you pause to listen, you can learn a lot from others.)

En la reunión, el jefe se detiene para enfatizar un punto importante. (In the meeting, the boss pauses to emphasize an important point.)

Aunque el tráfico se detiene a menudo, llegaremos a tiempo si salimos temprano. (Although traffic often stops, we’ll arrive on time if we leave early.)

Cuando te detienes a reflexionar sobre tus acciones, puedes mejorar como persona. (When you pause to reflect on your actions, you can improve as a person.)

En el parque, los niños se detienen para jugar en los columpios. (At the park, the children stop to play on the swings.)

Aunque el camino sea difícil, no te detengas; sigue adelante. (Although the road is difficult, don’t stop; keep moving forward.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Detenerse (to stop) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.