[333] How to Interrupt Politely in English
Milena explains how to politely interrupt someone in English – whether you’re in a meeting or chatting with friends. You’ll learn natural interruption phrases, hear a funny real-life story, and practise with the “Repeat After Me” section. Perfect for non-native speakers looking to improve everyday and workplace English.
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Full Transcript (How To Interrupt Politely in English)
Hola amigos y amigas! You’re listening to the English Made Simple Show!
This is episode number 333 (three-three-three), number three hundred and thirty-three, número trescientos treinta y tres.
Welcome back, amigos y amigas! It’s your host, Milena from englishmadesimple.net, here with another episode of the English Made Simple Show.
Today’s episode is about how to politely interrupt in English.
We’ll talk about when you’re with friends and when you’re at work. And I’ll share something a little personal — my husband interrupts me all the time!
I can almost never finish my sentence.
And let me tell you… he doesn’t even use the right phrases when he interrupts — he just starts talking over me. Amigos, that’s the impolite way to interrupt. So today, we’re going to learn the polite way.
Why This Matters
Interrupting is a normal part of conversation. Sometimes it’s necessary — maybe you have an urgent update in a meeting, or you’re trying to clarify something your friend just said.
But the way you do it can make a big difference. In English, there’s a big difference between cutting someone off (which sounds rude) and politely joining in.
The Impolite Way – Featuring My Husband
Alright, let me give you an example from my own home life.
The other night, I was telling my husband about something funny that happened at the supermarket. I said,
Me: “So I was at the checkout, and the cashier said—”
Him: “Oh! Did you see they’ve got mangoes on sale? We should get some!”
And that was it. My story was gone. He completely changed the topic to mangoes. I didn’t even get to the punchline!
This, amigos y amigas, is what I call the mango incident. And it’s a perfect example of the impolite way to interrupt — no warning, no polite phrase, just boom, new topic. Funny? Yes. Annoying? Also yes.
The Polite Way
The polite way involves a short intro phrase before you speak. This shows respect and gives the other person a signal that you want to say something.
Here are some polite interruption phrases you can use:
At Work:
- “Sorry to interrupt, but…”
- “If I could just add something here…”
- “Could I jump in for a moment?”
With Friends:
- “Hey, can I just say something quickly?”
- “Oh, that reminds me…” (only if it’s related)
- “Hold on, before you go on…” (playful tone)
Example at Work
Imagine you’re in a meeting and Ana is speaking:
Ana: “The quarterly results show a 10% increase…”
You: “Sorry to interrupt, but I think we might be looking at last year’s figures.”
That’s polite, respectful, and clear.
Example with Friends
You’re chatting with friends at a café. Carlos is telling a very long story…
Carlos: “And then we went to the beach, and then we had ice cream, and then—”
You: “Hey, can I just say something quickly before I forget?”
See? Friendly, but still polite.
When Is It Okay to Interrupt?
- When there’s urgent or important information
- When you need clarification
- When the person is going off-topic and time is short
- In casual conversation, when you’re adding something relevant
And remember, amigos, if you interrupt, keep it short. Let the other person continue after you.
Repeat After Me
Ok amigos y amigas, it’s time for our Repeat After Me segment. I’ll say each phrase slowly, and you can repeat after me. Ready?
- “Sorry to interrupt, but…”
- “If I could just add something here…”
- “Hey, can I just say something quickly?”
Amigos y amigas, if you want to practise more real-life English conversations like this, you can learn with me at englishmadesimple.net/learn-with-me. Whether it’s workplace English or everyday English, we can work together so you can speak clearly and confidently.
You’ve been jamming with Milena, keep practising, amigos y amigas, stay cool, and keep in touch. Until next time, hasta la próxima!
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Milena Vujnic
Podcast Host
Milena is the host of the English Made Simple Podcast and is passionate about helping motivated English learners break their fear of speaking English so they can confidently make conversation and be understood by other English-speakers.
Milena lives in Australia with her Chileno husband and loves anything podcasting and online coaching and is honoured to be supporting and guiding immigrants from all over the world with her products, programs and coaching services.
Click here to learn more about how you can work with Milena.