останавливаться vs остановиться
ostanávlivat'sya vs ostanovít'sya — stop oneself/repeatedly vs come to a stop
Register: neutral
What it really means
Останавливаться describes stopping as a process, habit, or repeated action. Остановиться is the completed moment of coming to a stop.
Examples in natural speech
Автобус останавливается здесь.
The bus stops here.
Поезд остановился.
The train came to a stop.
Мы часто останавливаемся в этом отеле.
We often stay at this hotel.
Остановись на минуту.
Stop for a minute.
Он не останавливается, когда говорит.
He does not stop when he talks.
Common mistakes
Do not add a direct object to this reflexive pair: *остановиться автобус is wrong. Say остановить автобус when somebody causes it to stop, but автобус остановился when the vehicle itself comes to a stop.
Memory tip
The -ся helps: the subject brings itself to a halt, whether it is a person, train, conversation, or a traveller stopping at a hotel.
Frequently asked questions
Why does останавливаться mean “stay” at a hotel?
A traveller “stops” at a place for accommodation. Мы останавливаемся в этом отеле describes a habitual choice of hotel.
Which form is right for a scheduled bus stop?
Use останавливается: Автобус останавливается здесь. A schedule or routine calls for the imperfective.
Can остановиться be used for a pause in speech?
Yes. Он остановился на середине фразы means he stopped in the middle of the sentence, with the pause viewed as having occurred.
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