The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Detenerse is used to give direct orders or instructions to stop or halt an action, for example: Deténganse ahí. (Stop right there.)

Detenerse is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugation follows a unique pattern that deviates from the standard rules.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Detenerse (to stop oneself) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Detenerse generally means to stop or halt, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To stop moving: This is the most literal meaning, for example, ¡Detenete! (Stop!) You might say this to someone who is walking or running away.

To pause or halt an action: For example, ¡Detenete y escúchame! (Stop and listen to me!) This usage implies stopping whatever the person is currently doing in order to pay attention.

To cease or discontinue: For example, ¡Detenete, ya basta! (Stop it, enough!) This meaning conveys putting an end to some undesirable behavior or activity.

To linger or stay (colloquial): In some Latin American vernacular, detenerse can mean to linger or stay somewhere, for example, ¡Detenete un rato! (Stay a while!) This invites someone to stop and spend some time.

To calm down (colloquial): Detenerse can also colloquially mean to calm down or relax, for example, ¡Detenete, amigo, tranquilo! (Calm down, buddy, relax!) This usage suggests the person should stop whatever agitated state they are in.

Examples

Examples of Detenerse in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Deténganse! ¡Hay un semáforo en rojo! (Stop! There’s a red light!)

Por favor, detente y escucha mis instrucciones. (Please stop and listen to my instructions.)

Conductor, deténgase a un lado de la carretera. (Driver, pull over to the side of the road.)

Amigos, detengámonos un momento para tomar un descanso. (Friends, let’s stop for a moment to take a break.)

¡Oye, detente! ¿A dónde vas con tanta prisa? (Hey, stop! Where are you going in such a hurry?)

En caso de emergencia, deténganse y sigan las instrucciones del personal. (In case of emergency, stop and follow the staff’s instructions.)

Mamá siempre dice: “Deténganse a pensar antes de actuar”. (Mom always says: “Stop and think before you act”.)

¿Podrías detenerte un segundo? Necesito preguntarte algo. (Could you stop for a second? I need to ask you something.)

En la reunión, el jefe dijo: “Detengámonos y analicemos los datos”. (In the meeting, the boss said: “Let’s stop and analyze the data”.)

Oye, ¿puedes detenerte? Me estás poniendo nervioso con tanto movimiento. (Hey, can you stop? You’re making me nervous with all that movement.)

Señor, por favor deténgase. No puede entrar sin una identificación válida. (Sir, please stop. You cannot enter without a valid ID.)

Antes de seguir, detengámonos a considerar las consecuencias. (Before we proceed, let’s stop to consider the consequences.)

¡Detente, ladrón! ¡La policía está en camino! (Stop, thief! The police are on their way!)

En el taller de yoga, el instructor dijo: “Deténganse y respiren profundamente”. (In the yoga workshop, the instructor said: “Stop and breathe deeply”.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Detenerse (to stop oneself) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.