sosta

stop

noun SOH-stah Rare

Origin: From sostare (to halt), from Latin sub- + stare (to stand).

Also means

pause

Usage Note

Sosta is feminine and covers a brief stop or pause: una breve sosta (a short stop), divieto di sosta (no parking — literally 'stopping prohibited'). The road-sign phrase divieto di sosta is one of the most common uses learners encounter in Italy. It differs from fermata (a scheduled public-transport stop) and pausa (a break).

Examples

"Ci siamo fermati per una sosta al bar sull'autostrada."

Natural Translation

We stopped for a break at the motorway café.

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