What does "detiene" mean?

Question

Is it a form of tener?

Answer 1

Detener (= to arrest).

La policía detuvo al sospechoso.

Detener(=to stop)

El taxista detuvo su vehículo y me bajé.

Thank you :) - caballorosado, Nov 29, 2010

Answer 2

It's funny what words English has and doesn't have. We have detain and retain, but not tain.

That's because you have the French versions of this Latin verb.

detain = de (from, away) + tenere (to hold)

maintain = manu ("mano" in Spanish) + tenere (to hold)

pertain = per (through) + tenere (to hold)

obtain = ob + tenere (to hold)

tenacity = tenere (to hold), holding fast

sustain = sub (up) + tenere (to hold)

retain = re (again) + tenere (to hold)

contain = cum (together) + tenere (to hold)

entertain = inter (among) + tenere (to hold)

abstain = ab (off) + tenere (to hold)

tenant = tenere (to hold), a person who holds a land

tenor = tenere (to hold), capable of holding the voice

Very thorough. - KevinB, Nov 29, 2010

Answer 3

It's a conjugation of detener. The dictionary here will help you out with that one.

Yes it is. thank you :) - caballorosado, Nov 29, 2010

Answer 4

It looks remarkably similar to "detain", doesn't it? Is "detain" related to "tain"? (yes, both detener and detain have to do with "tenere" in Latin)

It's funny what words English has and doesn't have. We have detain and retain, but not tain. - KevinB, Nov 29, 2010