interferir
“interferir” means “to interfere” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to interfere
Also: to meddle, to clash
📝 In Action
No quiero interferir en tus decisiones personales.
B1I don't want to interfere in your personal decisions.
Mi trabajo nuevo interfiere con mis clases de la tarde.
B1My new job clashes with my afternoon classes.
Deja de interferir; ellos pueden resolverlo solos.
B2Stop meddling; they can solve it themselves.
to jam, to interfere with
📝 In Action
El muro de concreto interfiere con la señal de Wi-Fi.
B2The concrete wall interferes with the Wi-Fi signal.
Las frecuencias de radio pueden interferir entre sí.
C1Radio frequencies can interfere with each other.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: interferir
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'Don't interfere in my business'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Latin 'inter' (between) and 'ferire' (to strike or hit). It literally describes something hitting or striking in between two other things.
First recorded: 18th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'interferir' always negative?
Usually, yes. It implies that someone or something is getting in the way or causing a problem. If you want a more neutral word for helping out, 'intervenir' is often better.
What is the difference between 'interferir en' and 'interferir con'?
Think of 'en' for people and situations (like interfering in a conversation) and 'con' for physical objects or schedules (like a wall interfering with a signal).