🛑❓

How to Say ‘Can you stop there?’ in French

Vous pouvez vous arrêter là ?

voo poo-VAY voo ah-reh-TAY lah

[voo poo-VAY voo ah-reh-TAY lah]

💬 Usage Tip: Some French verbs come with their own vous or me, so vous arrêter is literally "stop yourself." The same shape works for other actions: Vous pouvez vous garer ici ? "Can you park here?"

Phrase Breakdown

Vous pouvez

voo poo-VAY

Can you

Polite 'you' plus 'can'. The final Z of 'pouvez' is silent: 'voo poo-vay'.

Example

Vous pouvez m'aider ?

Can you help me?

Words in this phrase

Vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

pouvez

[poo-VAY]

can / may

Indicates permission or possibility.

Example

Vous pouvez annuler jusqu’à l’heure limite.

You can cancel until the deadline.

vous arrêter là ?

voo ah-reh-TAY lah

stop there?

Reflexive 'to stop'. Link the S of 'vous' to 'arrêter' with a Z sound: 'voo-za-reh-tay la'.

Example

On peut s'arrêter là ?

Can we stop there?

Words in this phrase

vous

[voo]

yourself

Reflexive pronoun used with the verb "se sentir" meaning "to feel."

Example

Dans Vous vous sentiriez, vous fait partie du verbe pronominal.

In "Vous vous sentiriez," the second "vous" is part of the reflexive verb.

arrêter

[ah-reh-TAY]

to stop

Infinitive verb; with 'vous' it means to stop oneself or a vehicle.

Example

Le bus va s'arrêter ici.

The bus is going to stop here.

là

[lah]

there / here

Used to indicate presence in a place.

Example

Oui, je serai là à la sortie.

Yes, I will be there at pick-up time.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer