The Conditional Mood of detener is used to express what you would do in a hypothetical situation, for example: Te detendría si intentaras escapar. (I would stop you if you tried to escape.)

Detener is a stem-changing verb, meaning the vowel in the stem changes in certain conjugations. For the Conditional, the e becomes en in all forms.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Saltar (to jump) in the Conditional Mood tense (Latin American Spanish):

The conditional mood of detener is used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, or possibilities in the future.

To stop or halt: For example, Yo detendría el carro si viera un animal en la carretera. (I would stop the car if I saw an animal on the road.) This can also be used figuratively, like Ella detendría la pelea si pudiera. (She would stop the fight if she could.)

To arrest or apprehend: For example, La policía detendría a los ladrones si los encontraran. (The police would arrest the thieves if they found them.) This usage is common when discussing law enforcement actions.

To pause or interrupt: For example, Yo detendría la película para ir al baño. (I would pause the movie to go to the bathroom.) This meaning relates to temporarily stopping an action or process.

To prevent or impede (colloquial): For example, No detendría a mi hermano de hacer una tontería. (I wouldn’t stop my brother from doing something stupid.) This informal usage implies not interfering with someone’s actions.

Examples

Examples of Saltar in the Conditional Mood

Si viera a un ladrón, detendría al criminal. (If I saw a thief, I would stop the criminal.)

No detendrías el auto en esa zona peligrosa, ¿verdad? (You wouldn’t stop the car in that dangerous area, right?)

Ella detendría la pelea entre sus hijos si pudiera. (She would stop the fight between her kids if she could.)

Nosotros detendríamos la construcción si dañara el medio ambiente. (We would stop the construction if it damaged the environment.)

Los manifestantes detendrían el tráfico para llamar la atención. (The protesters would stop traffic to draw attention.)

¿Detendrías a ese tipo si intentara robar tu celular? (Would you stop that guy if he tried to steal your phone?)

En una emergencia, detendríamos todo para ayudar. (In an emergency, we would stop everything to help.)

Los árbitros detendrían el partido si hubiera una pelea. (The referees would stop the game if there was a fight.)

¿Detendrías a tu amigo de hacer una tontería? (Would you stop your friend from doing something stupid?)

Ella detendría la broma si fuera demasiado lejos. (She would stop the prank if it went too far.)

Los guardias de seguridad detendrían a cualquier intruso. (The security guards would stop any intruder.)

¿Detendrías a tu hijo de hacer algo peligroso? (Would you stop your child from doing something dangerous?)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Saltar (to jump) in the Conditional Mood tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Conditional mood is also known as the Simple Conditional, Conditional Simple, Would Tense, or Future of the Past in English, and as Condicional Simple, Pospretérito, Potencial Simple, or Condicional de Indicativo in Spanish.