Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Eu não quero interromper a reunião.

Putting não after the verb (e.g. quero não interromper) is possible but usually sounds marked or unnatural, and in many cases it changes the nuance.

So the standard pattern is: > [subject] + não + [conjugated verb] + [rest of the sentence]

Can I say Eu quero não interromper a reunião to mean the same thing?

That sounds strange in Portuguese and is not how you would normally say it.

Eu não quero interromper a reunião.
= I don’t want to interrupt the meeting. (natural)
Eu quero não interromper a reunião.
Grammatically possible, but sounds awkward and is rarely said. It feels like “I want to not interrupt the meeting,” with an odd emphasis on not.

For everyday, natural speech, use Eu não quero interromper a reunião.

Why is it quero interromper and not quero de interromper?

Some Portuguese verbs are followed by a preposition (de, a, em) before another verb, but querer is not one of them.

The pattern is:

querer + infinitive (no preposition)

So you say:

Quero sair. – I want to leave.
Quero ajudar. – I want to help.
Quero interromper a reunião. – I want to interrupt the meeting.

Using de here (quero de interromper) is incorrect.

Why do we say a reunião and not just reunião?

In Portuguese, definite articles (o, a, os, as) are used more often than in English.

a reunião = the meeting

In this sentence you’re talking about a specific meeting (e.g., the one that is currently happening), so Portuguese naturally uses the definite article:

interromper a reunião – interrupt the meeting

Leaving out the article (interromper reunião) would sound incomplete or unnatural in this context.

Is reunião feminine? How do I make it plural?

Yes, reunião is a feminine noun.

a reunião – the meeting
uma reunião – a meeting

Plural:

as reuniões – the meetings
umas reuniões – some meetings

Notice the spelling change:

reunião → reuniões (ão → ões)

How do I pronounce Eu não quero interromper a reunião in European Portuguese?

Approximate European Portuguese pronunciation (not strict IPA):

Eu – like “eh-oo” merging into one syllable
não – similar to “nown” but nasal (air through the nose)
quero – “KEH-roo” (short e, trilled or tapped r)
interromper – “inter-ron-PEHR” (the rr is a strong guttural sound)
a – short “uh”
reunião – “reh-oo-nee-OWN” with a nasal OWN

Spoken fairly naturally, it flows like: > Eu não quero interromper a reunião.

In quick, natural European Portuguese, many vowels are reduced, so it can sound more like: > “Eu nã quero interrompêr a reunião.”

What is the difference between Não quero interromper a reunião and Não queria interromper a reunião?

Both can be used, but the nuance changes:

Não quero interromper a reunião.
Literal present tense: I don’t want to interrupt the meeting.
Direct, neutral, perfectly polite with the right tone.
Não queria interromper a reunião.
Imperfect tense of querer used for softening / politeness, a bit like:
- “I didn’t want to interrupt the meeting,” or
- “I was hoping not to interrupt the meeting.”

In European Portuguese, Não queria interromper a reunião, mas… is very common when you want to sound especially polite or cautious before saying something in the middle of a meeting.

Are there more informal or alternative verbs I could use instead of interromper?

Yes, depending on the nuance you want:

atrapalhar – to disturb / get in the way
- Não quero atrapalhar a reunião.
  = I don’t want to disturb the meeting / get in the way of the meeting.
perturbar – to disturb, upset (a bit more formal or psychological)
- Não quero perturbar a reunião.
cortar (colloquial, literally “cut”) – to cut someone off (more about interrupting a person speaking, not the whole meeting)
- Não te quero cortar. – I don’t want to cut you off.

For this specific sentence, interromper or atrapalhar are the most common choices.

Can I change the word order, like Eu não interromper quero a reunião?

No. That kind of word order is incorrect in standard Portuguese.

The normal order is: > [subject] + [não] + [conjugated verb] + [infinitive] + [object]

So:

Eu não quero interromper a reunião. ✅
Eu não interromper quero a reunião. ❌

Portuguese word order is generally similar to English: Subject – Verb – Object, especially with basic sentences like this.

Could I replace a reunião with a pronoun and say something like Não a quero interromper?

Yes, grammatically that’s possible:

Não a quero interromper. – I don’t want to interrupt it.

Here, a is a direct object pronoun referring to a feminine singular noun (like a reunião). This structure is correct and used in European Portuguese, especially in more formal or careful speech.

However, in real conversation, people usually keep the noun:

Não quero interromper a reunião.

They only replace it with a pronoun when the context is extremely clear or to avoid repetition.

Is this sentence polite enough to use in a formal meeting in Portugal?

Yes, it is polite, especially with the right tone of voice. In a formal or business context in Portugal, you might hear:

Desculpem, não quero interromper a reunião, mas…
(Excuse me, I don’t want to interrupt the meeting, but…)

or slightly softer:

Desculpem, não queria interromper a reunião, mas…

Adding Desculpe(m) or Com licença at the beginning is a typical European Portuguese way to sound polite and respectful when you speak up in a meeting.