When you want to say that you interrupt something or someone, or break off an action, the Swedish verb you're looking for is avbryta.
This verb is often used when an ongoing activity or conversation is stopped before its natural conclusion.
For example, if you are talking and someone speaks over you, you would say they avbryter you. It can also be used for breaking off a meeting or a project.
Understanding avbryta will help you describe situations where actions are halted or conversations are cut short, which is very useful in everyday Swedish.
avbryta in 30 Sekunden
- stop
- interrupt
- break off
§ How to use 'avbryta' in a sentence
'Avbryta' is a common Swedish verb. It means to interrupt, break off, or discontinue something. This can be an action, a conversation, a meeting, or even a trip. Let's look at how it works in different contexts.
First, it's a regular 'ar' verb in Swedish, which means its conjugations follow a predictable pattern:
- Present tense
- avbryter
- Past tense (Preteritum)
- avbröt
- Supine (for perfect tenses)
- avbrutit
- Imperative
- avbryt!
The verb 'avbryta' is often used transitively, meaning it takes a direct object. You interrupt *something* or *someone*.
§ Interrupting a person or conversation
When you want to say you're interrupting someone, you just use 'avbryta' followed by the person or pronoun.
Jag vill inte avbryta dig, men jag måste gå nu. (I don't want to interrupt you, but I have to go now.)
Han avbröt presentationen för en viktig fråga. (He interrupted the presentation for an important question.)
§ Breaking off an action or process
'Avbryta' is also used when you stop an ongoing activity or process.
Vi måste avbryta resan på grund av dåligt väder. (We have to break off the trip due to bad weather.)
Hon valde att avbryta studierna. (She chose to discontinue her studies.)
Notice how there's no preposition needed here. The direct object (resan, studierna) comes right after the verb.
§ Common phrases and usage patterns
Here are some common ways 'avbryta' is used in daily Swedish:
- Avbryta ett möte
- to interrupt/adjourn a meeting
Vi måste avbryta mötet nu. (We have to adjourn the meeting now.)
- Avbryta ett samtal
- to interrupt a conversation/call
Vänligen avbryt inte mitt samtal. (Please don't interrupt my call.)
- Avbryta en process
- to stop/terminate a process
Du kan avbryta nedladdningen när som helst. (You can stop the download at any time.)
§ Reflexive use: 'avbryta sig'
Sometimes 'avbryta' can be used reflexively with 'sig' (oneself) to mean to break off what one is doing, often when speaking.
Hon började tala men avbröt sig mitt i meningen. (She started speaking but broke off in the middle of the sentence.)
This means she stopped herself from speaking further.
Beispiele nach Niveau
Jag måste tyvärr avbryta dig här, men vi har ont om tid.
I unfortunately have to interrupt you here, but we are short on time.
Mötet avbröts plötsligt på grund av ett tekniskt fel.
The meeting was suddenly interrupted due to a technical error.
Hon bestämde sig för att avbryta sina studier och resa ut i världen.
She decided to break off her studies and travel the world.
Kan du avbryta larmet, det ringer oavbrutet.
Can you stop the alarm, it's ringing continuously.
Vi måste avbryta förhandlingarna om vi inte kan enas om grundläggande principer.
We must break off negotiations if we cannot agree on fundamental principles.
Han avbröt sin fiendes tal med en skarp kommentar.
He interrupted his enemy's speech with a sharp comment.
Projektet riskerar att avbrytas om vi inte får mer finansiering.
The project risks being interrupted if we don't get more funding.
Var vänlig och avbryt inte presentationen med frågor förrän i slutet.
Please do not interrupt the presentation with questions until the end.
Wortfamilie
Substantive
Adjektive
Teste dich selbst 24 Fragen
Write a short sentence about someone stopping an activity. Use a simple subject like 'jag' (I) and the verb 'avbryta'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Jag måste avbryta mitt arbete.
Write a sentence saying 'He interrupts the conversation.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Han avbryter samtalet.
Write a sentence where someone has to 'break off' (avbryta) something they are doing, for example, 'I have to stop reading.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Jag måste avbryta läsningen.
Vad måste Lisa göra?
Read this passage:
Lisa sitter och läser en bok. Hennes telefon ringer. Hon måste avbryta läsningen för att svara. Vad måste Lisa göra?
Vad måste Lisa göra?
Lisa måste svara i telefonen, så hon avbryter läsningen.
Lisa måste svara i telefonen, så hon avbryter läsningen.
Varför måste Pelle avbryta brevet?
Read this passage:
Pelle är på jobbet. Han skriver ett brev. Hans chef kommer in och vill prata. Pelle måste avbryta brevet.
Varför måste Pelle avbryta brevet?
Pelle måste avbryta brevet för att hans chef vill prata med honom.
Pelle måste avbryta brevet för att hans chef vill prata med honom.
Vad gjorde Anna när dörren ringde?
Read this passage:
Anna lagar mat. Hennes vän ringer på dörren. Anna avbryter matlagningen för att öppna dörren. Vad gjorde Anna när dörren ringde?
Vad gjorde Anna när dörren ringde?
Anna avbröt matlagningen för att öppna dörren när hennes vän ringde på.
Anna avbröt matlagningen för att öppna dörren när hennes vän ringde på.
The speaker is asking someone not to interrupt.
The meeting needs to be stopped.
She decided to stop her studies.
Read this aloud:
Försök att inte avbryta andra när de talar.
Focus: avbryta
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Han var tvungen att avbryta samtalet oväntat.
Focus: avbryta, samtalet
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
Jag vill inte avbryta dig, men jag måste gå.
Focus: avbryta, måste
Du hast gesagt:
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This sentence means 'I don't want to interrupt you.' The structure is Subject + verb + negation + infinitive verb + object.
This sentence means 'The meeting was interrupted due to technical problems.' 'Blev avbrutet' is the passive voice, indicating that the meeting was interrupted.
This sentence means 'Can you pause the movie for a moment?' The structure is Question word + subject + verb + object + time phrase.
Which sentence correctly uses 'avbryta' in the context of interrupting a conversation?
'Avbryta' here means to stop someone from speaking. The other options use 'avbryta' in the sense of stopping an activity or event.
Choose the best translation for: 'The project was interrupted due to lack of funds.'
'Avbröts' (past passive of avbryta) is the most appropriate word for an action that was temporarily or permanently halted. 'Stördes' means disturbed, 'stoppades' means stopped (often more abruptly), and 'slutade' means ended.
In which situation would you typically use 'avbryta'?
'Avbryta' is commonly used when you want to interject or stop someone who is speaking. The other options describe starting, continuing, or advising, which are not related to 'avbryta'.
If you 'avbryta' a meeting, it means the meeting will definitely not continue later.
'Avbryta' can mean to stop something temporarily, with the possibility of resuming it later. It doesn't necessarily imply a permanent end.
It is always polite to 'avbryta' someone if you have an urgent question.
While you might interrupt for an urgent question, it is not always considered polite. The politeness depends on the context and how the interruption is handled.
The verb 'avbryta' can be used when a technical issue causes a process to stop.
Yes, 'avbryta' can be used in this context, e.g., 'Processen avbröts på grund av ett tekniskt fel.' (The process was interrupted due to a technical error.)
/ 24 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Avbryta is used when you stop something that is currently happening, like a conversation or an activity.
- stop
- interrupt
- break off
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