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"to stop" in seven languages

Meaningto stop

Spanish

parar

/paˈɾaɾ/

other source · Latin PARĀRE 'to prepare, make ready'

Also detener and, for oneself, pararse.

French

arrêter

/aʁete/

other source · Vulgar Latin *ARRESTĀRE 'to make stay' (RESTĀRE)

Intransitive 'to stop' is s'arrêter.

Italian

fermare

/ferˈmare/

other source · Latin FIRMĀRE 'to make firm'

Intransitive 'to stop' is fermarsi.

Portuguese

parar

/paˈɾah/

other source · Latin PARĀRE 'to prepare, make ready'

Romanian

opri

/oˈpri/

other source · Slavic (Old Church Slavonic oprěti 'to lean against')

Catalan

parar

/pəˈɾa/

other source · Latin PARĀRE 'to prepare, make ready'

English

stop

/stɑp/

other source · Old English -stoppian, probably from Vulgar Latin *STUPPĀRE 'to plug with tow'

English → Italianto stopfermareNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: prepare (es); arrest, rest (fr); firm, affirm (it).What English and Italian share

Watch out: false friends

  • fermer (French) means “to close, shut” · fermare (Italian) means “to stop”

    Both from Latin FIRMĀRE 'to make firm, fix'. Italian holds something still; French makes it fast. Spanish firmar went a third way: 'to sign'.

All false friends

The story

Three different pictures: Spanish 'to make ready', French 'to make stay' (English arrest), Italian 'to make firm'. In French and Italian the bus stops itself: s'arrête, si ferma.

English relatives: prepare (es); arrest, rest (fr); firm, affirm (it)

Learn it

Practice the Core verbs deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esEl autobús para aquí.
  • frLe bus s'arrête ici.
  • itL'autobus si ferma qui.
  • ptO ônibus para aqui.
  • roAutobuzul oprește aici.
  • caL'autobús para aquí.
  • enThe bus stops here.

More in Core verbs

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