Frasa
SituationsGet the app (opens the App Store in a new tab)

Spanish · Meeting people · Elementary

How to ask someone to repeat in Spanish

Say “Perdona, ¿qué has dicho?” or “¿Puedes repetirlo, por favor?”. If they repeat it just as fast, add “Más despacio, por favor”. Ask for the bit you missed, “No he entendido la última parte”, or for it in writing: “¿Me lo escribes, por favor?”.

Try it · about two minutes

Someone is talking too fast for you, so you ask them to repeat, slow down or write it down.

Sound on: the neighbour speaks Spanish. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

The conversation

  1. Neighbour

    La basura se baja después de las ocho.

    Rubbish goes down after eight in the evening.

    You

    Perdona, ¿qué has dicho?

    Sorry, what did you say?

  2. Neighbour

    La basura se baja después de las ocho.

    Rubbish goes down after eight in the evening.

    You

    Más despacio, por favor.

    More slowly, please.

  3. Neighbour

    Si no entiendes algo, me lo dices.

    If there’s anything you don’t understand, just tell me.

    You

    No he entendido la última parte.

    I didn’t catch the last part.

  4. Neighbour

    Que después de las ocho de la tarde. Y los muebles viejos, al punto limpio.

    After eight in the evening, I said. And old furniture goes to the punto limpio, the recycling centre.

    You

    ¿Lleva tilde?

    Does it have a written accent?

  5. Neighbour

    Se escribe como suena.

    It’s spelled the way it sounds.

    You

    Gracias por tu paciencia.

    Thanks for your patience.

  6. Neighbour

    ¿Prefieres que hablemos en inglés?

    Would you rather we spoke English?

    You

    Prefiero que me hables en español para practicar.

    I’d rather you spoke to me in Spanish so I can practise.

Key phrases

  • Perdona, no te entiendo.

    Sorry, I don’t understand you.

  • ¿Puedes repetirlo, por favor?

    Could you say that again, please?

  • Más despacio, por favor.

    More slowly, please.

  • Perdona, ¿qué has dicho?

    Sorry, what did you say?

  • ¿Puedes hablar más alto, por favor?

    Could you speak up, please?

  • No he entendido la última parte.

    I didn’t catch the last part.

  • Me cuesta seguirte cuando hablas tan rápido.

    I find it hard to follow you when you speak so fast.

  • ¿Me lo puedes explicar de otra manera?

    Could you explain it another way?

  • ¿Me lo escribes, por favor?

    Could you write it down for me, please?

  • Gracias por tu paciencia.

    Thanks for your patience.

Good to know in Spain

Three ways to keep up

  1. 1

    Ask them to repeat.

    Could you say that again, please?
  2. 2

    Ask them to slow down.

    More slowly, please.
  3. 3

    Ask them to send it in a message.

    Could you send it to me in a message?

Tú or usted

Neighbour

¿Puedes repetirlo, por favor?

Could you say that again, please?

Official

¿Me lo puede repetir, por favor?

Could you repeat that, please? (formal)

With friends, and neighbours around your age, use the tú form. With officials, clerks and older people, switch to usted.

Thank them for their patience

People are generally kind to learners. A thank-you at the end makes them glad they slowed down.

Gracias por tu paciencia.

Thanks for your patience.

More situations in Spanish

All situations in Spanish

Keep these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.