Meaning and Usage
The verb 止まる (とまる) means "to stop" or "to come to a halt." It is an intransitive verb, so it describes something stopping by itself rather than someone stopping something else.
Common Contexts
You will often hear 止まる used for vehicles stopping (like buses or cars), clocks or machines stopping, or people stopping movement.
Collocations and Patterns
- バスが止まる: a bus stops
- 時計が止まる: a clock stops working
- 急に止まる: to stop suddenly
Register and Politeness
止まる is a neutral, everyday verb suitable for casual and polite conversation.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 止まる (intransitive) with 止める (とめる, transitive), which means "to stop something." Remember 止まる is used when the subject stops by itself.