This content provides a comprehensive guide on how to politely and effectively ask someone to repeat themselves in English, offering a variety of phrases for different situations to avoid sounding rude and ensure clear communication.
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Hello everyone. Welcome back to Speak
English Daily. I'm Emma.
Let me tell you about my student David.
Last week, he had a job interview.
Everything was going well. Then the
interviewer asked him a question. David
didn't hear it clearly, so he said,
"What?" The interviewer looked
surprised. She repeated the question,
but she seemed uncomfortable.
David answered well, but the energy
changed. He didn't get the job. Later,
David called me and said, "Emma, I don't
understand. I answered all the questions correctly."
correctly."
I asked him, "How did you ask them to
repeat?" He said, "I just said, "What?
Is that wrong?" Here's the truth. In
English, what sounds very rude,
especially in professional situations,
especially with people you don't know
well. It sounds impatient. It sounds
annoyed, even if you don't mean it that
way. Let me give you more examples of
what not to say. Someone says, "What?"
Sounds rude and aggressive. Someone
says, "Huh?" Sounds unprofessional and
careless. Someone says, "Say again."
Sounds like a command, not a request.
Someone says, "I don't understand you."
Sounds like it's their fault, not yours.
The problem is not that you didn't hear.
That's completely normal. Native
speakers don't hear things clearly all
the time. The problem is how you ask
them to repeat.
And here's what makes it worse. In
conversations, you might need to ask
someone to repeat five, 10, even 20
times. If you use the wrong phrase,
people get frustrated. They think you're
rude. They think you're not interested.
They might stop talking to you. This
happens in job interviews, business
meetings, phone calls, restaurants,
stores, hospitals, anywhere you need to
communicate in English. But today, I'm
solving this problem for you. I'm
teaching you 40 polite phrases to ask
someone to repeat
different phrases for different
situations, formal situations, casual
situations, on the phone, in person. By
the end of this video, you will never
worry about asking someone to repeat
again. Sound polite and professional
every time. keep conversations flowing
naturally. This is real English that
native speakers use every day. Are you
ready to sound polite and confident?
Let's begin.
category one. Most common polite phrases.
I'm sorry. Could you repeat that, please?
please?
I'm sorry. Could you repeat that, please?
I'm sorry. Could you repeat that, please?
please?
I'm sorry I didn't catch that.
I'm sorry I didn't catch that.
I'm sorry I didn't catch that.
Pardon me.
I beg your pardon.
I beg your pardon.
I beg your pardon. Could
I'm sorry. What was that?
I'm sorry. What was that?
I'm sorry, what was that?
Excuse me, I didn't hear you.
Excuse me, I didn't hear you.
Sorry, could you repeat that?
Sorry, could you repeat that?
Sorry, could you repeat that?
Perfect. These are your essential
phrases. You can use them anywhere,
anytime. Notice we always start with I'm
sorry or excuse me. This makes it
polite. We're taking responsibility for
not hearing, not blaming the other
person. Phrase two, I didn't catch that,
is very natural and common. Native
speakers use this all the time.
I'm sorry, the connection is a bit
unclear. Could you repeat that?
I'm sorry, the connection is a bit
unclear. Could you repeat that?
I'm sorry, the connection is a bit
Sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you.
Could you say that again?
Sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you.
Could you say that again?
Sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you.
Could you say that again?
The line is breaking up. Could you
repeat that, please?
The line is breaking up. Could you
repeat that, please?
The line is breaking up. Could you
repeat that, please?
I'm sorry you're cutting out. What was that?
that?
I'm sorry you're cutting out. What was that?
that?
I'm sorry you're cutting out. What was that?
Could you speak up a little? I'm having
trouble hearing you. Could
you speak up a little? I'm having
trouble hearing you.
Could you speak up a little? I'm having
trouble hearing you.
I think we have a bad connection. Could
you say that one more time?
I think we have a bad connection. Could
you say that one more time?
I think we have a bad connection. Could
you say that one more time?
Excellent. These phrases are perfect for
phone calls. They explain why you didn't
hear. It's the connection's fault, not
anyone's fault. This makes it very
polite. Use these when talking on the
phone with customers, colleagues, or
anyone. You're cutting out means the
audio is breaking up. Speak up means
speak a little louder.
Category three, for professional situations.
I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that.
Could you please repeat it?
I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that.
Could you please repeat it?
I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that.
Could you please repeat it?
Would you mind repeating that, please? Would
Would
you mind repeating that, please?
I apologize, but I didn't hear the last
part. Could you say it again?
I apologize, but I didn't hear the last
part. Could you say it again?
I apologize, but I didn't hear the last
part. Could you say it again?
Sorry. Could you go over that one more time?
Sorry. Could you go over that one more time?
time?
Sorry. Could you go over that one more time?
I want to make sure I understand
I want to make sure I understand
correctly. Could you repeat that?
I want to make sure I understand
correctly. Could you repeat that?
Excuse me, I missed that. Would you mind
saying it again?
Excuse me, I missed that. Would you mind
saying it again?
Excuse me, I missed that. Would you mind
saying it again?
Great. These phrases are more formal.
Use them in important situations. Job
interviews, business meetings, presentations.
presentations.
I didn't quite catch that is very polite
and professional. Would you mind
repeating that is extremely polite.
Go over that one more time means explain
it again. These show you care about
understanding accurately.
Category four, when you need them to
I'm sorry. Could you speak a little
slower, please?
I'm sorry. Could you speak a little
slower, please?
I'm sorry. Could you speak a little
Would you mind speaking a bit more slowly?
slowly?
Would you mind speaking a bit more slowly?
slowly?
Would you mind speaking a bit more slowly?
slowly?
Could you say that more slowly, please?
I want to make sure I understand.
Could you say that more slowly, please?
Could you say that more slowly, please?
I want to make sure I understand.
Sorry, I'm still learning English. Could
Sorry, I'm still learning English. Could
Sorry, I'm still learning English. Could
you speak a bit slower?
Could you pronounce that more clearly, please?
please?
Could you pronounce that more clearly, please?
please?
Could you pronounce that more clearly, please?
I'm sorry. Could you say that a bit more slowly?
I'm sorry. Could you say that a bit more slowly?
slowly?
I'm sorry. Could you say that a bit more slowly?
Wonderful.
Don't be afraid to ask someone to slow
down. This is completely normal and
acceptable. Native speakers do this too
when someone talks very fast. These
phrases are honest and polite. People
will respect you for wanting to
understand correctly. Phrase 24 is great
when you want to explain your learning.
Most people will be happy to help.
Category five, when you heard but need clarification.
I'm sorry. Did you say Tuesday or Thursday?
I'm sorry. Did you say Tuesday or Thursday?
I'm sorry. Did you say Tuesday or Thursday?
Just to confirm, you said the meeting is
Just to confirm,
you said the meeting is at 300 p.m.
Just to confirm, you said the meeting is
at 300 p.m.
I'm sorry. Was that 15 or 50?
I'm sorry. Was that 15 or 60?
Could you spell that for me, please?
Could you spell that for me, please?
I'm sorry. Which department did you say?
I'm sorry. Which department did you say?
Let me make sure I got that right. You
said your name is Michael.
Let me make sure I got that right. You
Let me make sure I got that right. You
Perfect. These phrases are for when you
heard something but you're not sure.
Maybe it was a name, a number, a date,
or a time. You repeat what you think you
heard and ask them to confirm. This is
very professional. It shows you pay
attention to details. Just to confirm
and let me make sure I got that right
are excellent for important information.
Sorry, what did you say?
What was that?
What was that?
What was that?
Come again.
Can you say that again?
Can you say that again?
Sorry, I missed that.
Sorry, I missed that.
Sorry, I missed that.
Wait, what?
Wait, what?
Wait, what?
Good. These phrases are more casual. Use
them with friends, family, or people you
know well. They're still polite, just
less formal. Come again is a friendly,
casual way to ask someone to repeat.
Wait, what? Is very casual. Use only
with close friends. Don't use these in
professional situations.
Category seven, when you didn't
I'm sorry I didn't catch your name.
I'm sorry I didn't catch your name. Could
Could
Could you repeat that last word, please?
Excellent. Use phrase 39 when you meet
someone new and didn't hear their name.
This is very common and completely
acceptable. Better to ask than to forget
or guess. Phrase 40 is for when you
understood most of the sentence but
missed one word. These two phrases
complete your toolkit.
Excellent. Now you have all 40 phrases.
Let me show you how these phrases work
in real life. You'll see Maria and David
use these exact phrases in real conversations.
conversations.
Pay attention to when they use each
phrase and why.
dialogue one. Taking an order in a noisy restaurant.
Meet Maria. She's 24 years old. She
works as a server in a busy restaurant
in Chicago. She's from Colombia. English
is her second language. Sometimes
customers speak very fast. Sometimes the
restaurant is noisy. But Maria knows how
to ask people to repeat politely. Let's
watch her handle different situations.
Good evening. Welcome to Bella's
Kitchen. My name is Maria. I'll be
taking care of you tonight. Can I start
you off with something to drink?
>> Yes, I'll have a
>> I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. Could
you repeat that, please?
>> Oh, I'll have a Diet Coke.
>> Perfect. One Diet Coke. I'll be right
Here's your Diet Coke. Are you ready to order?
order?
>> Yes, I'll have the salmon with mashed
potatoes and extra vegetables.
>> I'm sorry. Could you say that a bit more
slowly? I want to make sure I get your
order right.
>> No problem. I'll have the salmon with
mashed potatoes and extra vegetables
instead of rice. >> Perfect.
>> Perfect.
Just to confirm, that's the grilled
salmon with mashed potatoes and extra
vegetables. No rice. >> Exactly.
>> Exactly. >> Excellent.
>> Excellent.
And would you like any appetizers or a
salad to start?
>> Hm. What did you say the soup of the day was?
was?
>> I'm sorry, I didn't mention it yet.
Today's soup is tomato basil. It's very popular.
popular. >> Oh,
>> Oh,
sorry. I thought you told me earlier.
>> Wonderful. One tomato basil soup and the
grilled salmon with mashed potatoes and
extra vegetables. I'll put your order in
right away.
>> Thank you. Oh, wait. One more thing. Can
I get the salmon with instead?
>> Excuse me. I didn't hear you. The
restaurant is a bit noisy tonight. Could
you repeat that?
>> Can I get the salmon grilled instead of baked?
baked?
>> Absolutely. So, that's grilled salmon,
not baked. Perfect. I've got everything.
Your soup will be out shortly.
>> Great. Thank you.
Excellent. Did you notice what Maria
did? When the customer mumbled, she
said, "I didn't catch that." When the
customer spoke fast, she asked them to
slow down politely. When the restaurant
was noisy, she explained why. The
restaurant is a bit noisy tonight. She
confirmed the order to make sure it was
correct. Just to confirm, Maria didn't
feel embarrassed about asking. She
stayed professional and friendly. The
customer appreciated her being careful
with the order. This is how you use
these phrases in real situations.
Story two, sales call with connection issues.
Now, let's see a different situation.
Meet David. He's 28 years old. He works
in sales for a technology company in
Toronto. He makes a lot of phone calls
every day. Sometimes the connection is
bad. Sometimes people speak with
different accents. But David knows
exactly how to handle it. Let's listen
to one of his calls.
>> Good morning. This is David Chen from
Tech Solutions. May I speak with Miss
Anderson, please?
>> Speaking. This is Anderson.
Good morning, Ms. Anderson. This is
David Chen from Tech Solutions. I'm
calling about the proposal I sent last
week. I'm sorry, the connection is a bit
unclear. Could you repeat your first
name, please?
>> Oh, it's Rebecca. Rebecca Anderson.
>> Thank you, Miss Anderson. I appreciate
your time today. Did you have a chance
to review the proposal?
>> Yes, I did. We're interested, but I have
pricing structure.
>> I'm sorry, the line is breaking up.
Could you repeat that, please? You said
you have questions about
>> the pricing structure, specifically the
monthly payment options.
>> Got it. Thank you. Let me explain our
payment options. We offer three plans.
monthly, quarterly, and annual. The
monthly plan is $500 per month. The
quarterly plan is $450 per month. And
the annual plan is $400 per month.
>> I see. And you said the quarterly is
per month.
>> I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that.
Could you please repeat your question?
Sorry, I said, did you say the quarterly
plan is $450 per month?
>> Yes, exactly. $450 per month build
quarterly. That's $1,350
every 3 months.
>> Perfect. Now, when did you say the
implementation would start? Was that the
15th or the 50th?
>> I'm sorry. Did you say the 15th or the
50th? I want to make sure I understand correctly.
correctly. >> Oh,
>> Oh,
I meant the 15th or the 25th.
Sorry, I misspoke.
>> Huh, that makes more sense. We can start
implementation on either the 15th or the
25th of next month. Which date works
better for you?
Let's go with the 25th. That gives us
more time to prepare.
>> Perfect. Just to confirm, we'll begin
implementation on the 25th of next month
with the quarterly payment plan at $450
per month. Is that correct?
>> Yes, that's correct.
>> Wonderful. I'll send you the contract
this afternoon. Could you spell your
email address for me, please?
>> I'm sorry, I missed that last part.
Could you say it again? It's r.anderson what.com?
>> Oh, it's r.anderson techworld.com.
techworld.com.
T E C H W O R L D.
>> Perfect. Let me make sure I got that
right. R. Anderson at techworld.com.
Is that correct? >> Exactly.
>> Exactly.
>> Excellent. Thank you so much for your
time today, Miss Anderson. You'll
receive the contract within 2 hours. If
you have any questions, please don't
hesitate to call me.
>> Thank you, David. I appreciate your
patience with the bad connection.
>> No problem at all. Have a great day,
Miss Anderson.
>> You too. Goodbye. >> Goodbye.
>> Perfect. Did you notice what David did?
When the connection was bad, he
explained the connection is a bit
unclear. When the line broke up, he
said, "The line is breaking up." When he
wasn't sure about numbers, he confirmed,
"Did you say the 15th or the 50th?" When
he needed to email, he asked her to
spell it. He confirmed all important
details at the end. Let me make sure I
got that right.
David stayed calm and professional
throughout the call. He didn't get
frustrated or embarrassed. Miss Anderson
appreciated his attention to detail.
David got the sale because he
communicated clearly. This is how you
handle phone calls professionally.
Now, let me give you some important tips.
tips.
Tip one, don't apologize too much.
Saying I'm sorry once is polite. Saying
I'm sorry five times sounds insecure.
Just ask them to repeat and move on.
Tip two, use body language. If you're in
person, lean forward slightly. Make eye
contact. Cup your hand behind your ear.
This shows you want to hear them better.
Tip three, repeat what you heard. After
they repeat, say it back to confirm.
Just to confirm, you said Tuesday at 3
p.m. This prevents future misunderstandings.
misunderstandings.
Tip four, it's okay to ask multiple times.
times.
Sometimes you need to ask twice or three
times. That's completely normal. Don't
feel embarrassed. Understanding
correctly is more important than hearing
it the first time.
Tip five, know when to switch phrases.
If you already asked once with, "I'm
sorry, could you repeat that?" The
second time, try a different phrase.
Could you say that more slowly, please?
This gives them a hint about what would
help you.
Remember, everyone asks people to
repeat. Native speakers do it all the
time. It's a normal part of
conversation. The key is doing it politely.
politely.
Number one, never say just what or huh.
These sound rude in English, especially
professionally. Always use complete,
polite phrases.
Number two,
start with I'm sorry or excuse me. This
makes any request to repeat sound
polite. You're taking responsibility for
not hearing.
Number three,
match formality to the situation. Use
formal phrases at work and with
strangers. Use casual phrases with
friends and family.
Number four, explain why you didn't hear
the connection is bad or it's noisy
here. Helps people understand and won't
be offended.
Number five,
confirm important information.
Always repeat back names, numbers,
dates, and times just to confirm. You said
said
number six. Don't be embarrassed. Asking
someone to repeat is normal and
professional. It shows you care about
understanding correctly.
Practice these phrases out loud today.
Imagine different situations. Practice
saying them naturally. Write in the
comments which phrase will you practice
first. Which situation is hardest for
you? Phone calls, meetings, or
restaurants. If this helped you, hit
that like button and subscribe.
Share this with friends who need it.
Remember, asking someone to repeat is
not a weakness. It's a sign of good communication.
communication.
It shows you respect the conversation.
It shows you want to understand correctly.
correctly.
I'm Emma from Speak English Daily. You
can communicate clearly and confidently
in English. Keep practicing, keep
speaking, keep growing. Thank you for
learning with me today. You're doing
amazing. Now go use these phrases in
your next conversation.
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