Meaning
To bring a car or other vehicle to a halt.
Cultural Background
In Iran, traffic police are highly respected in formal documents, but interactions on the road can be tense. Using formal language like 'motovaghef kardan' can sometimes de-escalate a situation. In the heavy traffic of Tehran, 'stopping' is often impossible. The term 'motovaghef' is often used in news to describe 'gridlock' (توقف کامل ترافیک). There is a legal difference between 'stopping' (motovaghef kardan) and 'seizing' (tovghif kardan). Learners must be careful not to use the latter unless the car is being impounded. Iranian news agencies (like IRNA or ISNA) strictly use 'khodro' and 'motovaghef kardan' to maintain a standard Persian style, avoiding the informal 'māshin'.
Use 'Mashin' in Daily Life
Unless you are writing a formal report, use 'mashin' instead of 'khodro' to sound more natural.
Don't forget the 'Ra'
Because you are stopping a *specific* car, the object marker 'rā' (را) is almost always necessary.
Meaning
To bring a car or other vehicle to a halt.
Use 'Mashin' in Daily Life
Unless you are writing a formal report, use 'mashin' instead of 'khodro' to sound more natural.
Don't forget the 'Ra'
Because you are stopping a *specific* car, the object marker 'rā' (را) is almost always necessary.
Politeness with Police
When stopped, using the formal verb shows you are a law-abiding and educated citizen.
Passive form for News
If you see 'خودرو متوقف شد' in a headline, it usually means the police caught someone.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'motovaghef kardan'.
پلیس از راننده خواست که سریعاً خودرو را ______.
The sentence requires the subjunctive form after 'خواست که'.
Which sentence is the most formal?
Choose the best option for a news report.
'Khodro' and 'motovaghef kardan' are the standard formal terms.
Complete the dialogue between a driving instructor and a student.
Instructor: قبل از خط عابر، باید چه کار کنی؟ Student: باید ______.
Stopping before the crosswalk is the correct driving procedure.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: A formal police report about a chase.
This uses the most formal vocabulary suitable for a report.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Formal vs Informal
Practice Bank
4 exercisesپلیس از راننده خواست که سریعاً خودرو را ______.
The sentence requires the subjunctive form after 'خواست که'.
Choose the best option for a news report.
'Khodro' and 'motovaghef kardan' are the standard formal terms.
Instructor: قبل از خط عابر، باید چه کار کنی؟ Student: باید ______.
Stopping before the crosswalk is the correct driving procedure.
Situation: A formal police report about a chase.
This uses the most formal vocabulary suitable for a report.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsTechnically yes, but it sounds too formal. For a bike, 'negah dāshtan' is better.
It can refer to any motor vehicle, including trucks and buses, in a formal context.
'Tavaghof' is the noun (stop), 'motovaghef' is the adjective (stopped).
In formal Persian, 'در کنار جاده متوقف کردن'. Informally, 'بزن کنار'.
Yes, though Tajiki often uses 'man' kardan' (منع کردن) or 'istodan'.
No, it is strictly for vehicles. For people, use 'motevaghef kardan' without 'khodro', but it sounds like a police arrest.
It's a light verb that turns the adjective 'motovaghef' into an active verb.
Both pronunciations are heard, but 'motovaghef' is more standard in Iran.
In very casual slang, yes, but it's not recommended for learners.
Use 'خودرو متوقف شد' (The car stopped/became stopped).
Related Phrases
ترمز زدن
similarTo hit the brakes
پارک کردن
builds onTo park
توقیف کردن
specialized formTo impound/seize
حرکت کردن
contrastTo move/start moving
راه افتادن
contrastTo set off
