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How to Say "to interfere" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to interfere” is “entrometerse” — use this when you are actively disrupting a situation or process that does not concern you, often in a negative way.

English → Spanish

entrometerse

en-tro-meh-TEHR-sehentɾomeˈteɾse

verbB1informal
Use this when you are actively disrupting a situation or process that does not concern you, often in a negative way.
A curious person peeking over a tall wooden fence to spy on their neighbor's garden.

Examples

No te entrometas en mis asuntos personales.

Don't meddle in my personal affairs.

Mi vecina siempre se entromete en todo lo que hacemos.

My neighbor always interferes in everything we do.

Es de mala educación entrometerse en una conversación ajena.

It is rude to butt into someone else's conversation.

The 'Se' Requirement

This verb is always used with a pronoun (me, te, se, etc.) that matches the person doing the action. It's like saying 'to meddle oneself' into a situation.

Using 'En' for Context

In Spanish, we use the word 'en' (in) immediately after the verb to point to the thing being meddled in, like 'entrometerse en el plan'.

Forgetting the Pronoun

Mistake: “Él siempre entromete en mis cosas.”

Correction: Él siempre se entromete en mis cosas. You must include 'se' because the action is directed back toward the subject's behavior.

interferir

een-tehr-feh-REERinteɾfeˈɾiɾ

verbB1
Use this when you are getting involved in someone else's plans or decisions, implying an unwanted influence.
A person placing their hand over a puzzle that two other people are trying to complete together.

Examples

No quiero interferir en tus decisiones personales.

I don't want to interfere in your personal decisions.

Mi trabajo nuevo interfiere con mis clases de la tarde.

My new job clashes with my afternoon classes.

Deja de interferir; ellos pueden resolverlo solos.

Stop meddling; they can solve it themselves.

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.

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.

meterse

meh-TEHR-sehmeˈteɾ.se

verbB2informal
Use this when you are intruding into someone else's business or private matters, often implying curiosity or unwanted involvement.
An illustration showing a third person intruding physically into a private conversation between two other people.

Examples

No te metas en mis asuntos, por favor.

Don't interfere in my business, please.

Siempre se mete en discusiones que no le corresponden.

He always gets involved in arguments that don't concern him.

Use with 'en'

When 'meterse' means 'to interfere,' it is almost always followed by the preposition 'en' (in/into): 'meterse en algo' (to get into something).

meterme

meh-TEHR-mehmeˈteɾme

verbB1informal
Use this reflexive form when you are personally choosing not to get involved in another's business, often for self-preservation.
A third person steps between two people who appear to be arguing, illustrating the act of getting involved or intervening in a situation.

Examples

No es mi asunto, así que prefiero no meterme.

It's not my business, so I prefer not to get involved.

Si vas a meterme en tus planes, avísame con tiempo.

If you are going to involve me in your plans, let me know ahead of time.

Estaba pensando en meterme a estudiar diseño gráfico.

I was thinking about starting to study graphic design. (Literally: 'getting myself into studying...')

Using 'en' for Involvement

When 'meterme' means 'to get involved,' it almost always needs the preposition 'en' (in/into) to indicate the situation or problem you are entering: 'meterme en un debate.'

Using 'con' instead of 'en'

Mistake: “No quiero meterme con ese tema.”

Correction: Use 'No quiero meterme en ese tema.' The preposition 'en' is required to signify entering a topic or situation. 'Meterse con' means 'to mess with' or 'to pick a fight with'.

meterte

meh-TEHR-tehmeˈteɾte

verbB2informal
Use this when telling someone directly not to get involved in affairs that are not theirs, often with a tone of warning or annoyance.
An illustration showing two characters concentrating on stacking wooden blocks, while a third character rudely pushes their hand into the stack, causing it to fall.

Examples

¡No es tu problema! No tienes por qué meterte.

It's not your problem! You don't have to interfere.

Si sigues mintiendo, vas a meterte en un lío enorme.

If you keep lying, you are going to get yourself into a huge mess (trouble).

Negative Commands

The negative command for 'tú' is 'No te metas' (Don't interfere), where the pronoun 'te' moves before the verb, and the verb changes to the special form used for wishes and commands (subjunctive).

Entrometerse vs. Meterse

Learners often confuse 'entrometerse' and 'meterse'. 'Entrometerse' usually implies disrupting a situation, while 'meterse' is more about intruding into someone's personal business or affairs. Pay attention to the context of the 'interference'.

Related Translations

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