interferir
/een-tehr-feh-REER/
to interfere
Interferir can mean getting involved in someone else's business or plans.
interferir(verb)
to interfere
?getting involved in someone else's business or plans
to meddle
?intruding where you aren't wanted
,to clash
?when two schedules or events overlap poorly
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'E' to 'IE' Change
For most present tense forms, the middle 'e' changes to 'ie' when you stress it (e.g., Yo interfiero). It stays 'e' when you don't stress that part (e.g., Nosotros interferimos).
Preposition 'En'
When talking about getting involved in a situation or someone's life, you almost always use the word 'en' after interferir.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Con' instead of 'En'
Mistake: "No quiero interferir con tu vida."
Correction: No quiero interferir en tu vida. While 'con' is used for signals or schedules, 'en' is the standard for personal/social interference.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Sneaky Spelling Change
In the past tense (the preterite) and the 'wishes' form (subjunctive), the 'e' sometimes changes to a simple 'i' instead of 'ie' (like 'interfirió'). Keep an eye out for that single 'i'!
Interferir also refers to jamming or blocking a signal or frequency.
interferir(verb)
to jam
?blocking a signal or frequency
,to interfere with
?physical obstruction of waves or light
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Con' for Physics
When talking about physical things like signals or waves blocking each other, we use 'con' instead of 'en'.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: interferir
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'Don't interfere in my business'?
📚 More Resources
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).