holde op med at

Stop -ing (Holde Op Med at)

Level 2

holde op med at + [infinitive verb]
Example: Han holdt op med at ryge. (He stopped smoking.)

How It Works

The expression holde op med at is used when you cease an ongoing action or quit a long-term habit. Unlike the English word 'stop,' which can sometimes mean a temporary pause, this Danish pattern implies a definitive end to the activity.

1. Structure:
The pattern follows a strict order: holde op + med + at + infinitive. The preposition med is mandatory when followed by a verb.

2. Conjugation:
The verb holde is a strong verb:

  • Present: holder op
  • Past: holdt op
  • Perfect: er holdt op (Note: Danish uses er for this change of state).

3. Nuance vs. Other 'Stop' Verbs:

  • holde op med at: Ceasing an activity (e.g., crying, working).
  • standse: Physical motion coming to a halt (e.g., a car stopping at a light).
  • stoppe: A general alternative to holde op, but also means 'to plug' or 'to fill.'

4. The Imperative:
The phrase Hold op! is a very common interjection meaning 'Stop it!' or 'No way!' depending on the context.

Examples (5)

  1. Han holdt op med at ryge for to år siden.

    He stopped smoking two years ago.

    Word by Word: He held up with to smoke for two years since.

    This shows the past tense 'holdt' used for a permanent change in habit.

  2. Du skal holde op med at råbe af mig!

    You must stop shouting at me!

    Word by Word: You shall hold up with to shout at me!

    Here, the pattern follows a modal verb (skal).

  3. Regnen er endelig holdt op.

    The rain has finally stopped.

    Word by Word: The rain is finally held up.

    When the activity is implied or is a natural phenomenon, 'med at' is omitted. Note the use of 'er' in the perfect tense.

  4. Hvornår holder du op med at arbejde?

    When do you stop working?

    Word by Word: When hold you up with to work?

    A standard question using the present tense 'holder'.

  5. Jeg kan ikke holde op med at grine!

    I can't stop laughing!

    Word by Word: I can not hold up with to laugh!

    Used to describe an involuntary action that one cannot cease.

Common Mistakes

  • Omitting the preposition 'med'.

    Jeg holdt op at ryge.
    Jeg holdt op med at ryge.

    In Danish, you must include 'med' before 'at + infinitive'. English speakers often forget this because 'with' isn't used in the English equivalent 'stop smoking'.

  • Using the weak past tense ending '-ede' or '-te'.

    Han holdte op med at klage.
    Han holdt op med at klage.

    Holde is a strong verb. The past tense is 'holdt', not 'holdte'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

holde op med atLevel 2Stop -ing (Holde Op Med at)

Learn This First

To use 'holde op med at', you need to understand how to form the infinitive with 'at', how the preposition 'med' functions, and how the strong verb 'holde' conjugates.

Words in This Pattern

holde opholdemedat