How to Say “stop” in Japanese (With Examples)

Key takeaways

• Japanese has separate words for stopping physical movement and stopping an ongoing action.
• 止まれ (tomare) and 止まって (tomatte) refer to stopping movement. 止めて (yamete) refers to stopping an activity.
• 待って (matte) means “wait” or “hold on,” not a full stop. It signals a pause, not a halt.
• 停止 (teishi) is formal and technical, used on signs and in emergency contexts.
• Choosing the wrong word for “stop” can lead to genuine confusion in everyday situations.

The single English word “stop” maps to several different Japanese expressions, and they are not interchangeable. Using the wrong one in context will either confuse the person you’re talking to or simply not be understood.

From its community of 30,000+ tutors across 150+ languages, italki has Japanese tutors who help learners develop the instinct for which word fits which situation. This guide covers the main ways to say stop in Japanese, the critical distinction between stopping movement and stopping an action, and example sentences that show each expression in real use.

The core distinction: stopping movement versus stopping an action

If something or someone is moving and needs to stop moving, the words are 止まれ (tomare) or 止まって (tomatte). If someone is doing something (an activity, a behavior, an action) and needs to stop doing it, the word is 止めて (yamete) or やめて (yamete). If someone needs to pause or wait rather than fully stop, 待って (matte) is the natural choice.

Understand the three different meanings of “stop” in English and how Japanese splits them. Work with a Japanese teacher and master all three scenarios in realistic dialogue.

The main expressions

止まれ (tomare)

止まれ (tomare: stop) is the command form for stopping physical movement. This is the word on traffic stop signs throughout Japan. The tone is direct and imperative. Tomare stops motion — you would not use it to tell someone to stop talking.

止まって (tomatte)

止まって (tomatte: please stop / stop there) is the softer version of the same concept. 止まってください (tomatte kudasai) adds polite softening and is appropriate in most everyday situations where you need to ask someone or something to stop moving.

止めて / やめて (yamete)

止めて (yamete) or やめて (yamete) means stop doing that / quit it / stop it. If a sibling is bothering you, yamete. If music is too loud and you want it turned off, yamete. やめてください (yamete kudasai) is the polite form. It can be firm without being aggressive. Yamete has nothing to do with stopping movement — it stops actions, behaviors, and activities.

待って (matte)

待って (matte: wait / hold on) signals a pause rather than a full stop. After the pause, the activity or movement is expected to continue. 待ってください (matte kudasai) is the polite form.

停止 (teishi)

停止 (teishi: stop / halt / shutdown) is formal and technical. 非常停止 (hijou teishi: emergency stop) is the phrase on the red emergency buttons in trains and elevators. Teishi is not used in everyday conversation.

Master all five meanings of “stop” with a Japanese language tutor and practice using each in realistic scenarios.

Phrases at a glance

Japanese	Romaji	English equivalent	When to use	Register
止まれ	Tomare	Stop (command)	Traffic signs, commanding someone or something to halt movement	Casual, urgent
止まって / 止まってください	Tomatte / Tomatte kudasai	Please stop (moving)	Asking someone or something to stop moving, politely	Casual to formal
止めて / やめて	Yamete	Stop it / stop doing that	Stopping an ongoing action or behavior	Casual
やめてください	Yamete kudasai	Please stop (doing that)	Polite request to stop an activity	Casual to formal
待って / 待ってください	Matte / Matte kudasai	Wait / hold on	Requesting a pause, not a permanent stop	Casual to formal
停止	Teishi	Stop / halt / shutdown	Formal signs, emergency procedures, technical use	Formal, technical

Example sentences

Stopping movement: 止まってください。(Tomatte kudasai.) “Please stop.” 止まれ\! (Tomare\!) “Stop\!” A firm, urgent command to halt.

Stopping an action: やめて\! (Yamete\!) “Stop it\!” やめてください、うるさいです。(Yamete kudasai, urusai desu.) “Please stop, it’s noisy.” 笑うのをやめて。(Warau no wo yamete.) “Stop laughing.”

Requesting a pause: ちょっと待って。(Chotto matte.) “Wait a moment / hold on.” Very common in everyday speech.

This transitive/intransitive distinction is a key feature of Japanese verb pairs at the intermediate level. For students working toward JLPT N4, these distinctions come up directly in test content.

Common mistakes

• Using matte when you mean yamete: if a friend keeps teasing you and you say matte, you have asked them to wait, not to stop altogether.
• Using tomare for a person who is bothering you commands them to stop moving, not stop what they are doing.
• Forgetting kudasai in formal or semi-formal contexts makes commands sound abrupt.

With over 15 years of experience connecting learners to qualified teachers, italki has helped students in 190+ countries achieve their language learning goals. Book a trial lesson on italki today.

FAQ

Is there a difference between 止めて (yamete) and やめて (yamete)?

They are the same word and the same pronunciation. 止めて uses kanji and やめて uses hiragana. Both mean “stop doing that.” In casual writing and text messages, the hiragana form is more common.

Can I use 待って (matte) as a general way to say stop?

Matte works when you want someone to pause or slow down. It does not carry the full weight of stopping movement or stopping an action. If precision matters, use tomatte for movement and yamete for activities.

Where would I encounter 止まれ (tomare) in Japan?

The most common place is on traffic stop signs, which show the kanji 止まれ. You will also hear it in police commands, in sports training, and in situations where urgent halting of movement is needed.