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El autobús se detiene en la estación.

El autobús se detiene en la estación.
The bus stops at the station.
FromLesson 16inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

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.
Is there another way to express “The bus stops at the station” in Spanish?
Yes, another common way to express the same idea is: El autobús para en la estación. In this alternative, para (from the verb parar) is used instead of se detiene, and both forms are widely understood in Latin American Spanish.
How do I identify the subject and the location in the sentence?
The subject is El autobús (“the bus”), which is the entity carrying out the action. The location is indicated by the prepositional phrase en la estación, where en functions similarly to “at” or “in” in English, telling us where the bus stops.
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“How does verb conjugation work in Spanish?”
Spanish verbs change form based on the subject, tense, and mood. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns depending on whether they end in ‑ar, ‑er, or ‑ir. For example, "hablar" (to speak) becomes "hablo" (I speak), "hablas" (you speak), and "habla" (he/she speaks) in the present tense.

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