Questions & Answers about Hætt að hlaupa!
Why is the verb hætt and not hætta?
Hætt is the command form (imperative) of the verb hætta (to stop). When giving a command to one person, you usually drop the final -a from the infinitive (dictionary) form of the verb, which leaves you with just the stem.
I usually hear people say hættu. Is hætt different?
They mean the exact same thing! The strict grammatical command is just hætt. However, in everyday Icelandic, it is extremely common to attach the pronoun þú (you) to the end of the verb. Hætt + þú blends together into hættu.
Why is there an að before hlaupa?
Að is the marker for "to" when it comes before an infinitive verb (like að hlaupa, meaning "to run"). While English says "Stop running", Icelandic builds this phrase as "Stop to run". You will always use að + infinitive after hætta when telling someone to stop doing an action.
Could I yell hætt! if I want a taxi driver to stop the car?
No, hætta specifically means to stop, quit, or give up an activity or habit (like running, smoking, or talking). To tell someone to bring a vehicle or themselves to a physical standstill, you would use the verb stoppa.
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