sluta + Infinitive
Stop -ing
Use sluta + an infinitive verb (e.g., prata, äta) to say you are stopping an action.
How It Works
The pattern sluta + infinitive is a common and essential way to talk about discontinuing an action. Sluta itself is a regular -ar verb, conjugating as slutar (present), slutade (past), and slutat (supinum).
Key Points:
- Structure: Subject + (conjugated
sluta) + Infinitive Verb. - Optional att: Both sluta röka and sluta att röka are valid. Att is especially natural when another word intervenes: Vi slutade avsiktligt att spela. Do not treat sluta as identical to kan or vill in this respect.
- Meaning: It always refers to stopping an activity.
Distinction from stanna:
It's crucial not to confuse sluta with stanna.
- sluta: to stop/quit an activity (e.g., stop talking, stop working).
- stanna: to stop moving or to stay/remain in a place (e.g., the bus stops, I'm staying home).
For example, Bilen stannade means 'The car stopped (moving)'. You cannot say Bilen slutade in this context.
Imperative Form:
The command form is simply Sluta! or Sluta + infinitive verb.
Ex: Sluta störa mig! (Stop bothering me!)
Examples (5)
- Jag måste sluta dricka så mycket kaffe.
I have to stop drinking so much coffee.
Word by Word: I must stop drink so much coffee.
- Han slutade röka förra året.
He stopped smoking last year.
Word by Word: He stopped smoke last year.
- Sluta skratta! Det är inte roligt.
Stop laughing! It's not funny.
Word by Word: Stop laugh! It is not funny.
- Varför har du slutat spela piano?
Why have you stopped playing the piano?
Word by Word: Why have you stopped play piano?
- Barnen vägrar sluta leka i regnet.
The children refuse to stop playing in the rain.
Word by Word: The children refuse stop play in the rain.
Common Mistakes
Confusing 'sluta' (stop an activity) with 'stanna' (stop moving).
Kan du stanna prata?Kan du sluta prata?Stannais used for physical movement or staying in a place.Slutais used for ceasing an action or activity. To ask someone to stop talking, you must usesluta.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use 'sluta + infinitive' (meaning 'to stop doing something'), you need to understand how to conjugate verbs and how the infinitive form works in Swedish. While 'sluta' can be followed directly by an infinitive, it is fundamentally an infinitive construction that often involves the marker 'att'.
Related Patterns
- börja + InfinitiveStart -ing
Börja introduces the start of an activity and sluta its cessation. Both can take an infinitive with or without att: börja (att) läsa and sluta (att) läsa.
Level 4 - fortsätta + InfinitiveContinue -ing
Fortsätta describes continuation between a possible start and stop. It also allows an infinitive with or without att: fortsätta (att) läsa.
Level 4 - slipper + InfinitiveGet Out of -ing/avoid
Level 4Slippermeans 'to get out of doing something' or 'to not have to do something'. Whileslutais about ceasing an action,slipperis about avoiding it altogether. Both relate to not performing an action. - brukarUsually Do
Level 2Brukarmeans 'usually do' and describes a habit.Slutais often used to talk about stopping a habit (e.g.,Jag slutade röka- I stopped smoking). The two concepts are frequently linked. - försöka + InfinitiveTry to
Försöka means try and can combine with sluta: Jag försöker sluta röka. Att is optional with försöka too; it is not required in every instance.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice sluta + Infinitive in Bubblegum
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