Pertraukti

Pertraukti is a Lithuanian verb meaning to interrupt, to break off, or to pause a process, action, or speech. The action is typically intentional and can apply to conversations, performances, or ongoing activities. It can also describe the temporary breaking of continuity, such as pausing a recording or a meeting.

In usage, pertraukti is transitive: the action is performed on a direct object. For example, Jis pertraukė mano kalbą means “He interrupted my speech.” The nuance ranges from a brief interjection during speech to a more formal termination of an ongoing process. The verb can express both sudden interruptions and deliberate breaks that alter the course of events. It is often contrasted with nutraukti, which emphasizes termination, and stabdyti, which emphasizes stopping temporarily.

Etymology and form: the verb is formed with the prefix per- added to traukti, meaning “to pull.” The combination conveys a sense of breaking the line of continuity. It derives from Baltic language roots and has cognates in related languages.

Translations and related terms: in English, pertraukti translates as “to interrupt” or “to pause.” Related Lithuanian verbs include nutraukti (“to terminate, to disjoin”) and stabdyti (“to stop, to restrain”).