Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| anhalten | /ˈʔanhaltn̩/ /ˈʔanhaltən/ |
| stoppen | /ˈʃtɔpən/ |
The verb is used to express stopping something, whether temporarily or permanently. While the verb describes the act of stopping, the noun Halt can also be used as a command to tell someone to stop immediately, much like the English "Stop!"
Which one should you use?
anhalten is typically used when a moving object, such as a person walking or a car, comes to a standstill. In contrast, stoppen is often used for stopping an ongoing process, an activity or a countdown. Related nouns for cessation include Halt, Blockierung and Pause, while Halteplatz or Haltestelle refer to a minor railway station.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
anhalten is a separable verb. In the simple past tense, the prefix an moves to the end of the sentence, such as in Er hielt an. The past participle is angehalten, which is used with auxiliary verbs like haben.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔanhaltn̩/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using stoppen when you mean a vehicle is pulling over to a stop. In that context, anhalten is more natural.
Did you know?
- The verb stoppen is actually a 'doublet' of the word stopfen, which means to stuff or plug something, showing that the concept of stopping is rooted in physical obstruction.
- The verb anhalten is fundamentally built from the prefix an and the verb halten, which means 'to hold', implying that stopping is a way of 'holding' something in place.
- The noun Halt can refer to a physical stop, but it is also used in the phrase Halt machen to describe taking a break from a long journey.
Examples in context
- Stopp! Das ist gefährlich!Stop! That is dangerous!
- Halt, warte auf mich!Halt, wait for me!
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are driving in a car.
- MaximilianIch glaube, wir sind falsch gefahren.I think we took the wrong turn.
- HannahSoll ich hier kurz anhalten?Should I stop here for a moment?
- MaximilianJa, bitte halte kurz am Straßenrand an.Yes, please stop briefly at the side of the road.
- HannahAlles klar, ich halte jetzt an.All right, I am stopping now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “halt” translations and entries anhalten, stoppen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries anhalten, stoppen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
