Stop
Means 'Halt!' and is very common on traffic signs and in official commands (e.g., from police).
Means 'Enough!' Use this to tell someone to stop an action or behavior, like making noise.
Means 'Wait!' This is a softer way to ask someone to stop or pause for a moment.
A more formal or urgent command to stop, from the verb 'detenerse' (to stop oneself).
Stop! The traffic light is red.
The traffic sign says STOP!
Enough, please! No more noise.
Wait! You're forgetting your phone.
Stop! It's dangerous.
¡Para! (for 'tú'), ¡Alto!, and ¡Basta! are understood everywhere. ¡Alto! is the standard word on stop signs in most countries.
For the 'vos' form, you will hear and use '¡Pará!', with the stress on the final 'a'. '¡Basta!' is also very common.
Traffic signs often say 'PARE', using the formal 'usted' command. In conversation, both '¡Para!' (tú) and '¡Pare!' (usted) are used depending on formality.
Stop signs almost exclusively use 'ALTO'. '¡Para!' is the common command used when speaking to someone directly.
Usage is similar to Latin America with '¡Para!' and '¡Alto!'. They do not use 'vos', so you will not hear '¡Pará!'. The 'vosotros' command form would be '¡Parad!', but '¡Para!' is what a beginner will encounter most.
Using the infinitive 'parar' for a command. — To give a command, you need the imperative form. Instead of saying 'Parar aquí,' the correct command is '¡Para aquí!' (Stop here!).
Confusing '¡Para!' with '¡Basta!' — '¡Para!' is for stopping movement (e.g., a person walking, a car). '¡Basta!' means 'Enough!' and is for stopping an action or behavior (e.g., someone talking too much).
Using '¡Detener!' instead of '¡Detente!' — The verb is 'detenerse'. For a command, you attach the pronoun 'te' to the end. 'Detener' is just the infinitive 'to stop'.
Using the English word 'stop'. — While it might be understood in some tourist areas, it's not a Spanish word. Using '¡Para!' or '¡Alto!' is always the correct and clearer option.
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