止めます（とめます、tomemasu）
- to stop

The Japanese verb 止めます (pronounced とめます) means "to stop," "to cease," "to quit," "to put an end to," "to discontinue," or "to turn off." It implies bringing something to a halt, whether it's an action, a process, a machine, or a flow. The specific nuance depends on the context. 止めます can be used in various situations, from stopping a car to quitting a habit. It's a versatile verb with several slightly different meanings, always related to cessation or termination.

⚫︎テレビを止めます Translation: I'll turn off the TV. ⚫︎仕事を止めました Translation: I quit my job. ⚫︎タバコを止めたいです Translation: I want to quit smoking.

You use 止めます in contexts where you want to indicate stopping something. ⚫︎When used with an object (like a TV or a car), it means to turn it off or bring it to a halt. ⚫︎When used with a verb (usually in the -masu stem + 辞める or やめる form, a verb meaning to quit) or noun (related to an activity), it means to quit or cease doing something. ⚫︎It can also be used to mean to stop or prevent something from happening. The appropriate usage will depend on the preceding sentence. The polite form is 止めます. The past tense 止めました, the negative form 止めません, and the plain form 止める and other conjugations are also commonly used.

止めます is typically written in: ⚫︎Hiragana: とめます ⚫︎Kanji: 止めます (This is the most common and preferred way to write it.) The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is essential and consistent: め.

⚫︎やめる (to stop, to quit - a more casual alternative) ⚫︎中断する (ちゅうだんする) - to interrupt, suspend ⚫︎中止する (ちゅうしする) - to cancel, to stop ⚫︎終了する (しゅうりょうする) - to end, to finish The most appropriate synonym to use depends on the nuance you wish to convey.

⚫︎始める (はじめる) - to begin, to start ⚫︎続ける (つづける) - to continue ⚫︎開始する (かいしする) - to start, to commence ⚫︎継続する (けいぞくする) - to continue, to sustain The antonym used will depend on context.

車を止めてください ・Translation: Please stop the car. ・Explanation: This sentence uses the imperative form to request someone to stop the car.

雨が止むまで、ここで待ちましょう ・Translation: Let's wait here until the rain stops. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 止む which is a verb and a variant form of 止まる to describe the rain ceasing.

The verb 止める is comprised of the kanji 止, which means "stop" or "halt", and the verb suffix める. The kanji 止 alone can mean "to stop" or "to cease" as well. The etymology is a straightforward representation of the verb's meaning.