21 December 2025
How do you say stop in German?
The German word for stop is der Stopp.It’s a borrowed word from English, but it’s fully integrated into modern German - used on road signs, in casual speech, and in all kinds of urgent or commanding situations.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and while it may seem simple, it has very specific uses and connotations that make it worth mastering.
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Stopp.Want to understand how gender patterns work - even for short nouns like this one? Our video lesson has you covered.
Pronunciation:Stopp is pronounced [shtopp]
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Stopp has a short German o; American pop is only a rough approximation.
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With a crisp, final “p”One syllable: SHTOPP
Example sentences
Der Bus macht hier keinen Stopp.
The bus doesn’t stop here.
Nach dem Stopp ging es weiter.
After the stop, it continued.
Ein plötzlicher Stopp kann gefährlich sein.
A sudden stop can be dangerous.
Nuance and usage tips
🚦 Stopp is most often used as a noun, especially in fixed compounds like Zwischenstopp (layover or intermediate stop) or Boxenstopp (pit stop). German stop signs actually read STOP, the international spelling - but the sign itself is called das Stoppschild.
✋ Stopp itself is a noun - and an interjection: Stopp! The verb is stoppen, but for vehicles Germans usually say anhalten, and for people stehen bleiben.
🔁 You might also hear Stopp shouted or written on protest signs, where it takes on a strong, commanding tone: Stopp dem Krieg! (“Stop the war!”)
How does this word come up in real conversations?
“Mach bitte einen Stopp beim Supermarkt.”
Please make a stop at the supermarket.
“Er hat einen kurzen Stopp in München gemacht.”
He made a short stop in Munich.
“Drück den Not-Halt, schnell!”
Press the emergency stop - quick!
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Nina: Fahren wir direkt durch?Paul: Nein, ich mach einen kurzen Stopp bei meinen Eltern.Nina: Okay. Brauchst du was von dort?Paul: Nur meinen Mantel. Ich hab ihn da vergessen.
Translation:Nina: Are we going straight through?Paul: No, I’m making a quick stop at my parents’.Nina: Okay. Do you need anything from there?Paul: Just my coat. I left it there.
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:Der Stopp war notwendig.
The stop was necessary.
Accusative:Ich mache einen kurzen Stopp.
I’m making a short stop.
Dative:Nach dem Stopp ging es weiter.
After the stop, we continued.
Genitive:Die Dauer des Stopps war überraschend lang.
The duration of the stop was surprisingly long.
Other ways to say stop in German
While Stopp is one way to say stop in German, it’s primarily used as a noun. To tell someone to stop or describe the act of stopping, Germans typically use stoppen (common and modern), anhalten (especially for vehicles), or stehen bleiben (to stay put or freeze). For example, instead of saying Ich stoppe hier, most would say Ich halte hier an. The choice depends on whether you mean stopping a vehicle, stopping movement, or commanding someone to stop.
Word variations and tidbits
You’ll often encounter compounds like Zwischenstopp (layover), Boxenstopp (pit stop), and Baustopp (halt on construction). Stopptaste and Stopp-Taste both name a stop button; Stoppschild names the sign. For machinery, Not-Halt means emergency stop, while Not-Aus refers to emergency switching off. Whether literal or figurative, the word Stopp in German brings things to a firm and final halt.
🧠 Fun fact: German stop signs display the international spelling STOP, while the German noun is spelled Stopp.
📘 Duden entry for Stopp🎥 Want to put a stop to vocabulary gaps? Our free video course covers the top 1000 German nouns - clearly, completely, and with real-life usage.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Do you know what Stock means? You’ll need it when changing floors.And what about Strand? That’s where you might go when everything else comes to a stop.
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