How to Say Stop in French

Last Updated: June 16, 2022

There are a few ways to say "stop" in French, depending on what you mean. In both France and Canada, the word 'stop' has been adopted into the language, despite it being an English word. However, the french word "arrêter" is more commonly used. See below for some examples of specific situations and the best word(s) to use.

1

Learn the verb for "to stop".

It is arrêter (ah-reh-tay). It is conjugated as follows:
- j'arrête - I stop
- tu arrêtes - you (singular familiar) stop
- il arrête - he stops
- nous arrêtons - we stop
- vous arrêtez - you (plural and/or unfamiliar) stop
- ils arrêtent - they stop.

2

Know what to look for on a stop sign.

Typically, you'll find one of the following options:
- Arrête
- Stop (sometimes anglicized in both Europe and Quebec).

3

Ask someone to stop doing something.

Try the following:
- "Ne faites pas ça" or "arrête ça" – literally, "don't do that", or stop that!
- Ça suffit ! – that's enough!
- Arrête ! (Note that if writing it, the punctuation point involves a space, which is French punctuation.)
- "Stop!" - said with a French intonation.

4

Use "halte" to put a stop to something.

For example: "It is time to put a stop to this conversation. " would be "il est temps de dire halte à cette conversation".
- "Halte" also describes a stopping place.

5

Know when to use "interrompre."

This is primarily used when you want to say stop when interrupting.

6

Express when something is enough.

Use the words "assez" or "suffisamment". Both of these words express the sentiment of there being enough and no need to add more.

7

Stop a thief.

There is a special term in French for this. It is "Au voleur !".

Community Q&A

Question

How do I say "don't worry" in French?

Community Answer

"Ne vous inquiétez pas."
Question

How do I say I'm sad in French?

Community Answer

Je suis triste.
Question

How do I say "Can you stop please?"?

Community Answer

"Arrête-toi, s'il te plaît?", or more formally, "Arrêtez-vous, s'il vous plaît?" .