Unterbreche

Unterbreche is a form of the German verb unterbrechen, which means to interrupt, to cut in, or to suspend something that is ongoing. It is commonly used for interrupting a speaker, a conversation, a recording, or a process. The meaning can range from a courteous interjection in dialogue to a technical pause in an operation.

Etymology and form. The verb unterbrechen is built from the prefix unter- plus brechen (to break). The form unterbreche corresponds to the first-person singular present indicative (ich unterbreche). It can also appear in the Konjunktiv I (reported speech) with the same spelling in the first person, depending on the grammatical context. The stem shows irregularity characteristic of the verb brechen: ich unterbreche, du unterbrichst, er unterbricht, wir unterbrechen, ihr unterbrecht, sie unterbrechen. The past participle is unterbrochen and the infinitive is unterbrechen.

Usage notes. Unterbrechen is transitive and typically takes a direct object referring to what is being interrupted (e.g., eine Rede, eine Sendung, einen Prozess). In everyday speech it is common to say ich muss dich kurz unterbrechen or der Moderator unterbricht den Redner. In technical or procedural contexts, unterbrechen can describe pausing a workflow, a recording, or a transmission. The noun form is Unterbrechung.

Related forms and synonyms. Related nouns include die Unterbrechung and verb synonyms such as stoppen or abbrechen, though each carries its own nuance. The term is widely used across spoken German, journalism, academia, and technology to denote a deliberate interruption or a temporary halt.

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