Translation guide
The English word "stop" covers many different situations. This guide breaks them down by meaning and gives natural Japanese expressions for each.
To stop moving, or to stop doing something.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to stop' (movement, machine, etc.). Use when something stops by itself.
車が止まった。
The car stopped.
時計が止まっている。
The clock has stopped.
Transitive verb meaning 'to stop' something. Use when someone stops something intentionally.
彼は車を止めた。
He stopped the car.
音楽を止めてください。
Please stop the music.
To stop doing an activity, to quit. Often used for habits or ongoing actions.
タバコをやめました。
I stopped smoking.
泣くのをやめて。
Stop crying.
To stop walking, to pause while standing.
彼は突然立ち止まった。
He suddenly stopped walking.
To cause a vehicle or machine to stop operating.
General transitive verb for stopping a vehicle or machine.
エンジンを止めてください。
Please stop the engine.
Specifically for parking or stopping a vehicle at a place.
To stop something from happening, to prevent.
To prevent, to stop something bad from happening.
事故を防ぐために注意してください。
Please be careful to stop accidents.
To stop someone from doing something, to physically block.
To stop doing something, to end an action.
To stop at a place during a journey, to drop by.
To stop by, to drop in. Often used with location particle に.
帰りにコンビニに寄ります。
I'll stop by the convenience store on the way home.
More formal or written version of 寄る.
A place where a bus or train regularly stops.
Bus stop or tram stop.
次のバス停で降ります。
I'll get off at the next bus stop.
Train station. Not exactly 'stop', but often used in context.
東京駅で電車を降りた。
I got off the train at Tokyo Station.
Telling someone to stop an action.
Negative て-form used as a casual request to stop doing something.
泣かないで。
Stop crying. / Don't cry.
Direct command: 'Stop ~ing'. Casual.
騒ぐのをやめて。
Stop making noise.
Formal prohibition: 'You must not ~'. Used in rules.
ここでタバコを吸ってはいけません。
You must not smoke here. (Stop smoking here.)
止める (とめる) is for stopping physical movement or machines. やめる is for stopping an activity or quitting. 車を止める (stop the car) vs タバコをやめる (quit smoking).
The loanword ストップ is used in specific contexts like sports, music, or as a button label, but it's not a general verb. Use Japanese verbs instead.
Can I stop the car here?
I tried to stop him, but it was impossible.
途中で銀行に立ち寄った。
I stopped at the bank on the way.