arrêter
Arrête de parler!
Stop talking!
to stop an action or movement
Il faut arrêter de fumer.
You need to stop smoking.
La pluie s'est arrêtée.
The rain has stopped.
Used for both physical actions and abstract concepts (e.g., habits, processes).
to arrest (someone)
La police a arrêté le suspect.
The police arrested the suspect.
Primarily used in legal contexts.
to turn off (a device)
Arrêtez la machine immédiatement!
Turn off the machine immediately!
Common in instructions for electronic devices.
Collocations
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Mistakes
Avoid using 'arrêter' for 'to arrest' in everyday contexts—it's primarily legal. For devices, 'éteindre' (to turn off) is more specific.
Gold Rule
Reflexive Use
Use 's'arrêter' when the subject stops itself (e.g., 'La voiture s'est arrêtée' = 'The car stopped').
Word Origin
From Old French 'arester' (12th c.), from Vulgar Latin '*arrestāre*', from Latin 'ad-' (to) + 'restāre' (to remain, stop). Related to 'rester' (to stay) and 'résister' (to resist).
Usage Notes
Can be used reflexively ('s'arrêter' = to stop oneself). In informal speech, 'stopper' is sometimes used as a synonym but is less formal.