How to smoothly and gently get the chance to speak, including the most useful and politest interrupting phrases and tactics.
Interrupting is often said to be one of the most difficult things to do in a foreign language, but in fact interrupting by rudely shouting over someone is easy! This article gives tips and useful phrases on what is hard, which is getting the chance to speak without offending the other person.
Apologies and regrets in polite interrupting phrases
Perhaps the easiest and most common way to learn how to interrupt is by memorising and using specific interrupting phrases. These interrupting sentence and sentence starters often include apologising, as in:
- Sorry for interrupting, but…
- Sorry to interrupt (you in full flow), but…
- Sorry, can I just say something here?
- Sorry to butt in, but…
- I’m afraid I can’t let you go on without saying…
- Excuse the interruption, but…
- I’m afraid I have to stop you there.
A similar useful tactic is to express regret at interrupting, as in:
- I hate to interrupt (you) (in full flow), but…
- I don’t like to interrupt, but…
- I don’t mean to interrupt, but…
- I wouldn’t usually interrupt, but…
Requesting and checking in polite interrupting phrases
Requests can also be used in polite interrupting phrases, as in:
- Can I interrupt (you) (for a second/ a minute)?
- Can I come in here/ there?
- Could I stop you there for a second?
- Do you mind if I say something about this?
- I’d like to make a point here (if I can/ could/ may/ might).
- If I can/ could/ may/ might (just) interrupt you (for just a minute/ moment/ second),
- If you don’t mind me interrupting,…
- If it’s okay to interrupt,…
- May I interrupt?
- If you will allow me (to say something/ to speak for a second),…
Some of those phrases are more like checking that interrupting is okay, which can also be seen in:
- Is this a good time to say…?
- Would this be the right time to add my thoughts on…?
Showing briefness in polite interrupting phrases
Mentioning the shortness of your interruption is a good way of emphasising that you still want to hear what the other person has to say. The easiest way is with the word “before”, as in:
- Before you go on,…
- Before you continue, (can I just say)…
- Before you move on,…
- Before I forget,…
- Before we change topic,…
Similar but more complex phrases include:
- I’m dying to hear what you have to say, but…
- I’ll let you finish in a moment, but…
Uncompleted phrases for polite interrupting
Even the politest phrases above can sometimes seem a bit direct and strong in real life, so other less obvious tactics are also common. The phrases above can be combined with one such strategy, which is to use a word or two to show that you want to interrupt, then to use more and more words of the same phrase to show that you still really want to speak, as in:
- Can?
- Can I?
- Can I stop you?
- Can I stop you there?
- Can I stop you there for?
- Can I stop you there for a second?
Being positive in interrupting phrases
When it is possible/ suitable, it is even nicer to interrupt with something positive. This is often agreement, as in:
- Yes, and…
- Sure. What’s more,…
- Absolutely, and…
- Undoubtedly. In fact,…
- Quite right. I’d even say that…
Such positive phrases can also soften polite disagreement phrases and so make them suitable for interrupting, as in:
- That’s very interesting, but…
- Good point, but…
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, but…
