What is the Spanish word for "detain"?

Learn how to say "detain" in Spanish with examples and practice

English

detain

Spanish

detener

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Alternative translations of "detain"

retener
retrasar
arrestar

Examples of how to use "detain" in Spanish

English
The police can detain a suspect for questioning.
Spanish
La policía puede detener a un sospechoso para interrogarlo.
English
Police often detain suspects for questioning.
Spanish
La policía suele detener a los sospechosos para interrogarles.
English
Officers detained the man yesterday afternoon.
Spanish
Los oficiales detuvieron al hombre ayer por la tarde.
English
They are detaining the witness now.
Spanish
Están deteniendo a la testigo ahora.
English
She has detained the package at customs.
Spanish
Ella ha retenido el paquete en la aduana.

Learning tip: Pay attention to how the word "detain" is used in different contexts. This will help you understand when and how to use its Spanish translation naturally.

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The police can detain a suspect for questioning.

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Master Spanish vocabulary with our scientifically-proven spaced repetition app

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What is the Spanish word for "detain"? | Habladoo