interromper

Interromper is a Portuguese verb meaning to interrupt or break the continuity of something. It is transitive and commonly used to indicate stopping a speech, a process, a broadcast, or the sequential flow of events. The verb can appear in passive constructions, as in foi interrompido, and in various tenses to describe completed or ongoing interruptions.

Etymology and form: Interromper derives from Latin interrumpere, formed from the prefix inter- “between” and rumpere “to break.” In Portuguese it is a regular verb of the -er conjugation. Its basic forms include infinitive interromper, gerund interrompendo, and the participle interrompido. Present tense forms (common in contemporary usage) include eu interrompo, você interrompe, nós interrompemos, vocês interrompem. Other common tenses follow standard -er verb patterns, such as interrompi/ interrompeu in the pretérito perfeito and interrompia in the imperfect, with future forms like interromperei and interromperá.

Usage and nuance: Interromper typically denotes a deliberate or involuntary halt to ongoing speech, action, or sequence. It can refer to interrupting a person in conversation, stopping a process or event, or breaking a continuity in a narrative or schedule. The noun interrupção is used to denote the act or instance of interruption. Interromper is versatile across formal and informal registers, though in formal written Portuguese it is common to specify what is being interrupted (interromper a reunião, interromper a transmissão, etc.).

Examples: Ela interrompeu o colega durante a reunião. O anúncio interrompeu a transmissão. Não interrompa quando alguém estiver falando. Interrupção is the noun form.