El autobús se detiene en la estación.

The bus stops at the station.

Breakdown of El autobús se detiene en la estación.

• en: in
• la estación: the station
• el autobús: the bus
• detenerse: to stop

Questions & Answers about El autobús se detiene en la estación.

What does the verb detiene mean in this sentence, and why is it conjugated in the third-person singular?

Detiene is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb detener, which means “to stop” or “to halt.” It is conjugated to agree with the subject El autobús (“the bus”), indicating that the bus is the one stopping.

What is the function of the reflexive pronoun se in the sentence?

The pronoun se is used to form the pronominal (or reflexive) verb detenerse. In this context, it emphasizes that the subject, El autobús, performs the action on itself—that is, the bus comes to a stop by its own operation.

Why is a reflexive construction used here instead of a non-reflexive one?

In Spanish, certain actions—especially those involving movement or changes of state—are typically expressed with reflexive verbs. By using the reflexive form detenerse, the sentence clearly conveys that the bus stops on its own, a construction that sounds natural and is commonly used in Latin American Spanish.

What does estación refer to, and could it have different meanings?

Estación translates to “station” in English. In this sentence, it most likely refers to a transit station, such as a bus or train station. Depending on the context, estación might also refer to other types of stations, but here it indicates the location where the bus stops.