How to Ask Someone to Say It Again in English
At a coffee shop in a London airport, a woman smiled at Emily and said something that sounded like “Djeet yet?”
Emily knew every word she was hearing. She just did not hear them as words. She stood there with her big bag for five long seconds and said nothing.
Then she took a breath and said: “Sorry, one more time, please.”
The woman laughed, said it slowly, and Emily understood at once: Did you eat yet? Four easy words. The woman also gave her a free muffin.
One polite sentence saved the moment. This lesson shows you that sentence and a better one: what to say when you caught part of the question. You will also get phrases to ask someone to repeat, slow down, or wait a moment, short dialogues, and practice.
Say what you heard, then ask for the rest
If you only say “I don’t understand,” the other person does not know where to help. If you say what you caught, they know exactly which part to repeat. You show that you are listening, and you only ask for what is missing.
Here is a scene Paul and Emily practice in the episode. Emily is a fast-talking traveller at a busy train station. Paul is a stranger on the platform.
Emily: Excuse me, is this the platform for the next train to Bristol, or do I need to go downstairs?
Paul: Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Bristol, yes. What was the last part?
Emily: Do I need to go downstairs?
Paul: Ah, okay. I think so. The sign says platform two, and it’s downstairs.
Paul says the one word he heard (Bristol), then asks only for the part he missed. Emily’s comment: that is real communication. It is polite, and it is easy for the other person to help.
The three-step card
- Say sorry. Sorry, …
- Show what you heard. I heard “Bristol.” or I got the first part.
- Ask for the missing part. What was the last part?
Put them together:
Sorry, I didn’t catch that. I heard “Bristol.” What was the last part?
You do not need all three steps every time. In a short chat, Sorry, one more time, please is enough. Use all three when the sentence is long or the place is noisy.
Three places, one trick
At a coffee shop
Barista: Hi! Would you like your usual, or do you want to try the new iced coffee?
You: Sorry, I didn’t catch that. What was the last part?
Barista: The new iced coffee.
You: Oh, no, thank you. Just my usual, please.
On the phone
Caller: Hello, I’m calling about your appointment tomorrow at half past nine.
You: Bear with me for a second. Sorry, could you say that a little slower, please?
Caller: Of course. Your appointment is tomorrow, at half past nine.
You: Thank you. I got “tomorrow,” but not the time. Could you say the time again?
Caller: Half past nine.
At work or in class
Coworker: The meeting is in room twelve, but we start in the lobby at ten.
You: Sorry, one more time, please. I heard “meeting” and “ten.”
Coworker: We start in the lobby at ten, and then we go to room twelve.
You: Got it. Thank you!
Your pocket phrases
| What you need | What you can say |
|---|---|
| Hear the whole sentence again | Sorry, I didn’t catch that. / Sorry, could you say that again? / Sorry, one more time, please. |
| Hear only the missing part | What was the last part? / Sorry, what was the first part? |
| Go a little slower | Could you say that a little slower, please? |
| Get a moment to think | Bear with me for a second. / Just a moment, please. (Bear with me means: please wait, I need some time. In the episode: Bear with me, I’m looking for my ticket in my bag.) |
| Show what you heard | I got the word “Bristol,” but not the rest. / I think I heard “ten,” but I missed the middle part. |
| Check that you understood | So the platform is downstairs? / Do you mean room twelve? |
Make it sound kind
- Start with Sorry and end with please. What? alone can sound sharp. Sorry, one more time, please sounds kind.
- Speak in a normal, friendly voice. A small smile helps.
- Say one thing at a time. You can ask for the whole sentence first, and then for the missing part.
Three habits that keep you stuck
- Saying “yes” when you did not hear. A wrong “yes” can send you to the wrong place or the wrong time.
- Saying only “I don’t understand” and stopping. Say the part you heard.
- Feeling bad about a second try. If you still do not understand, say: Could you spell that, please? or Could you write it down, please?
Your turn: three ways to practice
Match the moment to the phrase
Which phrase fits each moment?
- You heard the first part of a sentence, but not the end.
- The person talks too fast.
- You need a few seconds to find your ticket.
- You heard the word “Tuesday,” but not the time.
Answers (yours can be different): 1. What was the last part? 2. Could you say that a little slower, please? 3. Bear with me for a second. 4. I got “Tuesday,” but not the time. What was the time again?
Fill your own card
Write three short sentences, one for each step. Use a real situation from your day.
- Sorry, ______.
- I heard ______.
- What was ______?
Be the listener
Read each line. Wait three seconds. Then say your answer out loud.
- A shop worker says: “Do you want a bag, a receipt, or both?” You heard “bag.” Ask again.
- A friend says a long address very fast. Ask them to go slower.
- A teacher gives you a room number, but you did not hear it. Ask for only the room number.
Sample answers (yours can be different): 1. Sorry, I heard “bag.” What was the last part? 2. Sorry, could you say that a little slower, please? 3. Sorry, I didn’t catch the room number. Could you say it again, please?
Questions about asking again
Is it rude to ask someone to repeat?
No. Asking in a polite way shows that you want to understand. Use Sorry and please, and most people are happy to help.
What if I only heard one word?
Say that word. I heard “Bristol,” but not the rest. Then ask for the missing part. One word is enough to start.
What if I still do not understand after two times?
Try a different request: Could you say that a little slower, please?, Could you spell that?, or Could you write it down, please?
The short version
- Show what you heard. Do not only say “I don’t understand.”
- Use the 3 steps: Sorry, … / I heard … / What was …?
- Add Sorry and please to sound polite.
- Ask for time with Bear with me for a second.
Hear it in a real conversation
Want to hear the Djeet-yet story and the train-station scene in a natural conversation? Listen to the podcast episode and use the notes, useful phrases, and practice in Train Your Ears to Understand Fast English.