How To Say Stop In French

Learning how to say “stop” in French can be helpful in many situations, whether you’re traveling, learning the language, or simply expanding your vocabulary. Knowing how to ask someone to stop in a polite, urgent, or casual way makes communication easier and more effective. French has different words and phrases for “stop,” and using them correctly depends on the situation.

In this article, you’ll learn the most common ways to say “stop” in French, other useful phrases, how to respond when someone says “stop,” and exercises to practice. By the end, you’ll be ready to use this essential word confidently in everyday situations.

Ways to Say “Stop” in French

In French, there are several ways to say “stop,” depending on the situation, tone, and context. These phrases range from formal to casual, polite to urgent. Below are some common ways to say “stop” in French, along with their pronunciations, meanings, and example sentences to help you use them effectively.

1. Arrête

Pronunciation: ah-reht
Meaning: Stop (informal, singular).
In a Sentence:

Arrête de parler, s’il te plaît. (Stop talking, please.)
Arrête, c’est dangereux! (Stop, it’s dangerous!)

2. Arrêtez

Pronunciation: ah-reh-tay
Meaning: Stop (formal or plural).
In a Sentence:

Arrêtez ce bruit! (Stop that noise!)
Arrêtez de courir dans le couloir. (Stop running in the hallway.)

3. Stop

Pronunciation: stohp
Meaning: Stop (used in both casual and formal settings).
In a Sentence:

Stop, tu es allé trop loin. (Stop, you’ve gone too far.)
Stop, ne traversez pas encore. (Stop, don’t cross yet.)

4. Cesse

Pronunciation: sess
Meaning: Cease or stop (formal or literary).
In a Sentence:

Cesse cette dispute immédiatement! (Cease this argument immediately!)
Il faut que tu cesses de te plaindre. (You need to stop complaining.)

5. Cessez

Pronunciation: sess-ay
Meaning: Stop (formal or plural).
In a Sentence:

Cessez vos excuses, ça suffit. (Stop your excuses, that’s enough.)
Cessez de crier dans la salle. (Stop yelling in the room.)

6. Arrêt

Pronunciation: ah-reh
Meaning: A stop (noun).
In a Sentence:

Prochain arrêt: la gare. (Next stop: the train station.)
L’arrêt d’urgence est juste là. (The emergency stop is right there.)

7. Stoppez

Pronunciation: stoh-pay
Meaning: Stop (formal, often used in commands).
In a Sentence:

Stoppez ce travail, il y a une erreur! (Stop this work, there’s an error!)
Stoppez le moteur maintenant. (Stop the engine now.)

8. Halte

Pronunciation: halt
Meaning: Halt or stop (often formal or official).
In a Sentence:

Halte! Qui va là? (Halt! Who goes there?)
Halte au harcèlement! (Stop the harassment!)

9. Fais une pause

Pronunciation: fay oon pohz
Meaning: Take a break or pause.
In a Sentence:

Fais une pause avant de continuer. (Take a break before continuing.)
Tu devrais faire une pause et te reposer. (You should take a break and rest.)

10. Ne bouge pas

Pronunciation: nuh boozh pah
Meaning: Don’t move or stay still.
In a Sentence:

Ne bouge pas, je vais chercher de l’aide. (Don’t move, I’ll get help.)
Ne bouge pas, il y a un insecte sur toi! (Don’t move, there’s a bug on you!)

11. Stoppe

Pronunciation: stohp
Meaning: Stop (informal, rarely used).
In a Sentence:

Stoppe ce que tu fais tout de suite! (Stop what you’re doing right away!)
Stoppe, on doit parler. (Stop, we need to talk.)

12. Pause

Pronunciation: pohz
Meaning: Pause or stop temporarily.
In a Sentence:

Fais une pause, tu as travaillé dur. (Take a pause, you’ve worked hard.)
On fait une pause pour le déjeuner. (We’re taking a break for lunch.)

13. Coupez

Pronunciation: koo-pay
Meaning: Cut or stop (used with devices or systems).
In a Sentence:

Coupez le son, c’est trop fort. (Cut the sound, it’s too loud.)
Coupez l’électricité avant de réparer ça. (Turn off the electricity before fixing that.)

14. Arrête-toi

Pronunciation: ah-reht-twah
Meaning: Stop yourself (informal).
In a Sentence:

Arrête-toi là, on doit parler. (Stop there, we need to talk.)
Arrête-toi avant de traverser la rue! (Stop before crossing the street!)

15. Stoppons

Pronunciation: stoh-pon
Meaning: Let’s stop.
In a Sentence:

Stoppons ici pour manger quelque chose. (Let’s stop here to eat something.)
Stoppons avant qu’il ne soit trop tard. (Let’s stop before it’s too late.)

16. Immobilisez-vous

Pronunciation: ee-moh-bee-lee-zay voo
Meaning: Immobilize yourself (formal, often used by authorities).
In a Sentence:

Immobilisez-vous et levez les mains! (Freeze and raise your hands!)
Immobilisez-vous pour votre propre sécurité. (Stay still for your own safety.)

17. Laissez tomber

Pronunciation: leh-say tom-bay
Meaning: Drop it or let it go.
In a Sentence:

Laissez tomber cette idée, elle ne fonctionne pas. (Drop that idea, it doesn’t work.)
Laissez tomber, ce n’est pas grave. (Let it go, it’s not a big deal.)

18. Stop au feu

Pronunciation: stohp oh fuh
Meaning: Stop at the light (traffic context).
In a Sentence:

Il faut faire stop au feu rouge. (You must stop at the red light.)
Stop au feu, puis tourne à gauche. (Stop at the light, then turn left.)

19. Tais-toi

Pronunciation: tay-twah
Meaning: Be quiet or stop talking (informal).
In a Sentence:

Tais-toi, j’essaie de me concentrer. (Be quiet, I’m trying to focus.)
Tais-toi et écoute-moi. (Stop talking and listen to me.)

20. Arrêtez-vous

Pronunciation: ah-reh-tay voo
Meaning: Stop yourself (formal or plural).
In a Sentence:

Arrêtez-vous au poste de contrôle. (Stop at the checkpoint.)
Arrêtez-vous, vous allez trop vite! (Stop, you’re going too fast!)

21. Ne t’arrête pas

Pronunciation: nuh tah-reht pah
Meaning: Don’t stop (informal).
In a Sentence:

Ne t’arrête pas maintenant, tu es presque arrivé. (Don’t stop now; you’re almost there.)
Ne t’arrête pas, continue de courir! (Don’t stop, keep running!)

22. Stoppez-vous

Pronunciation: stoh-pay voo
Meaning: Stop yourselves (formal or plural).
In a Sentence:

Stoppez-vous avant de traverser la rue. (Stop before crossing the street.)
Stoppez-vous et attendez les instructions. (Stop and wait for instructions.)

23. Freine

Pronunciation: fren
Meaning: Brake or slow down (used in driving).
In a Sentence:

Freine doucement au virage. (Brake gently at the turn.)
Freine, il y a un piéton devant. (Brake, there’s a pedestrian ahead.)

24. Arrête ça

Pronunciation: ah-reht sah
Meaning: Stop that (informal).
In a Sentence:

Arrête ça, ce n’est pas drôle. (Stop that, it’s not funny.)
Arrête ça tout de suite! (Stop that immediately!)

25. Faites une pause

Pronunciation: feht oon pohz
Meaning: Take a break (formal).
In a Sentence:

Faites une pause avant de continuer le projet. (Take a break before continuing the project.)
Vous semblez fatigué; faites une pause. (You seem tired; take a break.)

Response to “Stop” in French

When someone tells you to “stop” in French, knowing how to respond politely or appropriately is essential. Your response might depend on the tone, context, and relationship with the speaker. Below are some common ways to respond to “stop” in French, along with their pronunciations, meanings, and example sentences.

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1. D’accord

Pronunciation: dah-kohr
Meaning: Okay or agreed.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Arrêtez de faire ce bruit! (Stop making that noise!)
Person 2: D’accord, je vais arrêter. (Okay, I’ll stop.)
Person 1: Stop, ne touche pas ça! (Stop, don’t touch that!)
Person 2: D’accord, désolé. (Okay, sorry.)

2. Désolé

Pronunciation: day-zoh-lay
Meaning: Sorry.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Stop, tu es trop bruyant! (Stop, you’re too loud!)
Person 2: Désolé, je vais me calmer. (Sorry, I’ll quiet down.)
Person 1: Arrête tout de suite! (Stop right now!)
Person 2: Désolé, je ne voulais pas déranger. (Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb.)

3. Je comprends

Pronunciation: juh kohm-prahnd
Meaning: I understand.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Arrête de faire ça, c’est dangereux! (Stop doing that; it’s dangerous!)
Person 2: Je comprends, je vais faire attention. (I understand; I’ll be careful.)
Person 1: Stop, il faut attendre! (Stop, you need to wait!)
Person 2: Je comprends, pas de problème. (I understand, no problem.)

4. Très bien

Pronunciation: tray byehn
Meaning: Very well or alright.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Arrêtez de bouger, s’il vous plaît. (Stop moving, please.)
Person 2: Très bien, je vais rester immobile. (Alright, I’ll stay still.)
Person 1: Stop, ne touche pas cette boîte! (Stop, don’t touch that box!)
Person 2: Très bien, je ne vais pas la toucher. (Alright, I won’t touch it.)

5. Pourquoi?

Pronunciation: poor-kwah
Meaning: Why?
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Stop, ça suffit! (Stop, that’s enough!)
Person 2: Pourquoi? Qu’est-ce que j’ai fait? (Why? What did I do?)
Person 1: Arrête immédiatement! (Stop immediately!)
Person 2: Pourquoi? Je ne comprends pas. (Why? I don’t understand.)

6. Pas de problème

Pronunciation: pah duh proh-blehm
Meaning: No problem.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Arrêtez ici, il y a une barrière. (Stop here; there’s a barrier.)
Person 2: Pas de problème, je m’arrête. (No problem, I’ll stop.)
Person 1: Stop, tu vas trop vite! (Stop, you’re going too fast!)
Person 2: Pas de problème, je ralentis. (No problem, I’ll slow down.)

7. J’arrête

Pronunciation: jah-reht
Meaning: I’m stopping.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Arrête tout de suite! (Stop right now!)
Person 2: J’arrête, pas besoin de crier. (I’m stopping; no need to shout.)
Person 1: Stop, tu fais trop de bruit! (Stop, you’re making too much noise!)
Person 2: J’arrête, désolé. (I’m stopping, sorry.)

8. Ce n’était pas mon intention

Pronunciation: suh neh-tay pah mohn tan-syon
Meaning: That wasn’t my intention.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Arrêtez, vous allez casser quelque chose! (Stop, you’ll break something!)
Person 2: Ce n’était pas mon intention, je fais attention. (That wasn’t my intention; I’m being careful.)
Person 1: Stop, tu risques de te blesser! (Stop, you might hurt yourself!)
Person 2: Ce n’était pas mon intention, je vais arrêter. (That wasn’t my intention, I’ll stop.)

9. Je suis désolé, je ne savais pas

Pronunciation: juh swee day-zoh-lay, juh nuh sah-vay pah
Meaning: I’m sorry, I didn’t know.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Stop, ce chemin est interdit! (Stop, this path is forbidden!)
Person 2: Je suis désolé, je ne savais pas. (I’m sorry, I didn’t know.)
Person 1: Arrête, c’est réservé. (Stop, it’s reserved.)
Person 2: Je suis désolé, je ne savais pas. (I’m sorry, I didn’t know.)

10. Je vais faire attention

Pronunciation: juh vay fehr ah-tahn-syon
Meaning: I’ll be careful.
In a Sentence:

Person 1: Stop, c’est dangereux de continuer. (Stop, it’s dangerous to continue.)
Person 2: Je vais faire attention, merci. (I’ll be careful, thanks.)
Person 1: Arrêtez, la route est glissante! (Stop, the road is slippery!)
Person 2: Je vais faire attention, désolé. (I’ll be careful, sorry.)

Exercise to Practice Saying “Stop” in French

Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises to help you practice different ways to say “stop” in French. Each sentence is in French with its meaning provided, making it easier to learn and apply these phrases. After completing the blanks, you can check your answers below.

Fill in the Blanks

________ de courir dans la maison, c’est dangereux.
(Stop running in the house, it’s dangerous.)
S’il vous plaît, ________ le moteur avant de descendre.
(Please, stop the engine before getting out.)
________ ce que tu fais immédiatement!
(Stop what you are doing immediately!)
Pourquoi ne ________ pas quand je te parle?
(Why don’t you stop when I’m talking to you?)
Il faut ________ au feu rouge pour être en sécurité.
(You must stop at the red light to stay safe.)
________ cette discussion inutile.
(Stop this useless discussion.)
Pendant la leçon, l’enseignant a dit: “________ de parler et écoutez-moi.”
(During the lesson, the teacher said: “Stop talking and listen to me.”)
________, il y a un obstacle sur la route.
(Stop, there’s an obstacle on the road.)
Après deux heures de marche, ils ont décidé de ________.
(After two hours of walking, they decided to stop.)
Le conducteur a dû ________ brusquement pour éviter un accident.
(The driver had to stop suddenly to avoid an accident.)
La police a dit: “________ au contrôle de sécurité.”
(The police said: “Stop at the security checkpoint.”)
________ de faire du bruit, le bébé dort.
(Stop making noise, the baby is sleeping.)

Answers

Arrêtez (Stop running in the house, it’s dangerous.)
Arrêtez (Please, stop the engine before getting out.)
Arrête (Stop what you are doing immediately!)
t’arrêtes (Why don’t you stop when I’m talking to you?)
faire stop (You must stop at the red light to stay safe.)
Cessez (Stop this useless discussion.)
Arrêtez (Stop talking and listen to me.)
Stop (Stop, there’s an obstacle on the road.)
faire une pause (They decided to stop.)
freiner (The driver had to stop suddenly to avoid an accident.)
Arrêtez-vous (Stop at the security checkpoint.)
Arrêtez (Stop making noise, the baby is sleeping.)

Conclusion

Learning how to say “stop” in French is an important step in improving your communication skills in the language. Whether you’re using “Arrête” with friends or “Arrêtez” in formal situations, knowing these phrases helps you navigate various scenarios effectively.

With practice, you’ll become confident in expressing yourself clearly and understanding when others use these words. Keep revisiting the examples, responses, and exercises in this guide, and soon, you’ll find it easy to say “stop” in French naturally. This small but powerful word can make a big difference in your conversations!