interrumpir
/een-teh-rroohm-peer/
to interrupt
Interrumpir (to interrupt) often means stopping a person while they are speaking.
interrumpir(verb)
to interrupt
?a person speaking or an activity
to cut off
?a speaker
,to butt in
?informal
📝 In Action
Por favor, no me interrumpas cuando estoy dando instrucciones.
A2Please, don't interrupt me when I am giving instructions.
Ella siempre interrumpe las reuniones con chistes.
B1She always interrupts the meetings with jokes.
¿Puedo interrumpir un momento? Tengo una pregunta urgente.
A2Can I interrupt for a moment? I have an urgent question.
💡 Grammar Points
Direct Object Use
You can use this verb reflexively, 'interrumpirse,' to mean 'to interrupt oneself' or 'to stop talking suddenly.' For example: 'Me interrumpí para toser' (I interrupted myself to cough).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'para' instead of the person
Mistake: "Interrumpí para él."
Correction: Le interrumpí. ('Le' means 'him' or 'her' and is the correct way to show who received the interruption.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Polite Interruption
To interrupt politely, start with 'Disculpa que te interrumpa...' (Excuse me for interrupting you...) or 'Con permiso...' (With permission...).
Interrumpir (to suspend) can also mean temporarily halting a process or activity.
interrumpir(verb)
to suspend
?a process or activity
,to stop
?a flow or connection
to cut off
?a supply or connection
,to break
?a sequence
📝 In Action
La caída del sistema interrumpió la transmisión de datos.
B2The system crash stopped the data transmission.
El gobierno decidió interrumpir las negociaciones de paz.
C1The government decided to suspend the peace negotiations.
Tuvimos que interrumpir el rodaje de la película por falta de fondos.
B1We had to halt the filming of the movie due to lack of funds.
💡 Grammar Points
Passive Voice
This meaning is often used in the passive voice, especially when discussing technical issues: 'La electricidad fue interrumpida' (The electricity was interrupted/cut off).
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Contexts
When talking about legal, technical, or official matters, 'interrumpir' is generally preferred over the simpler 'parar' (to stop).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: interrumpir
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'interrumpir' in the sense of 'stopping a continuous process'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'interrumpir' mean the same thing as 'detener'?
They are similar, but not identical. 'Detener' usually means 'to stop' or 'to detain' completely (like stopping a car). 'Interrumpir' means to break into the middle of something, often implying the possibility of resuming the activity later (like stopping a meeting for a break).