A1 Expression Neutral 1 min de lectura

Repeat that, please.

Request repetition.

Practícalo

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use this phrase to politely ask someone to repeat information you didn't catch.

  • Means: A standard, polite request for a speaker to restate their last sentence.
  • Used in: Classrooms, business meetings, or when you simply didn't hear someone.
  • Don't confuse: 'Repeat that' (direct) with 'Could you repeat that?' (more polite).
Confused face + 'Repeat that, please' = Clearer understanding

Explicación a tu nivel:

This phrase helps you when you do not hear someone. You say it to ask them to speak again. It is very useful in class.
Use this expression when you miss information. It is polite and clear. You can use it with teachers or people you do not know well to ensure you understand them.
This is a standard functional phrase for communication repair. It allows the speaker to rephrase or restate their previous utterance, which is essential for maintaining flow in a conversation when auditory input is unclear.
This expression serves as a polite request for repetition. It is particularly useful in professional or academic contexts where precision is required. By using this phrase, you signal your engagement with the speaker and your desire to avoid misunderstandings.
As a pragmatic marker, this phrase functions to negotiate meaning within a discourse. It is a conventionalized request that balances the need for information retrieval with the social requirement of politeness. Its usage demonstrates an awareness of register and the ability to manage conversational flow effectively.
This phrase is a quintessential example of a speech act used for clarification. It relies on the imperative mood tempered by the politeness marker 'please'. In sociolinguistic terms, it acts as a 'repair initiator' in conversation analysis, allowing the listener to signal a breakdown in the communication channel and request a re-transmission of the prior turn.

Significado

Used to ask someone to say something again.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Americans value efficiency. Using this phrase is seen as a quick, polite way to keep a conversation moving. British speakers might add 'Sorry' before the phrase to be extra polite.

💡

Add 'Sorry'

Adding 'Sorry' at the start makes you sound much more polite.

💡

Add 'Sorry'

Adding 'Sorry' at the start makes you sound much more polite.

Ponte a prueba

Which is the most polite?

How do you ask someone to repeat?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Repeat that, please.

Adding 'please' makes it polite.

🎉 Puntuación: /1

Ayudas visuales

Banco de ejercicios

2 ejercicios
Elige la respuesta correcta Fill Blank

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta:
Which is the most polite? Choose A1

How do you ask someone to repeat?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Repeat that, please.

Adding 'please' makes it polite.

🎉 Puntuación: /2

Preguntas frecuentes

1 preguntas

No, it is very polite if you include 'please'.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

Say that again

synonym

Ask to repeat

Dónde usarla

🎓

Classroom

Teacher: The homework is due on Friday.

Student: Repeat that, please.

neutral
📞

Phone Call

Caller: My number is 555-0199.

Receiver: Sorry, repeat that, please.

neutral

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Think of a 'Re-play' button on a video. You want to 'Re-peat' the sound.

Asociación visual

Imagine a radio with a rewind button. You press it, and the person's voice plays again.

Rhyme

If you missed the beat, ask them to repeat.

Story

Sarah was in a loud cafe. Her friend told her a secret. Sarah didn't hear it. She smiled and said, 'Repeat that, please.' Her friend laughed and said it again.

In Other Languages

Most languages have a polite way to ask for repetition. It is a universal human need in communication.

Word Web

clarifylistenagainpoliterequestunderstandcommunication

Desafío

Next time you are in a noisy place, try to use this phrase instead of just saying 'What?'

Review in 1 day, 3 days, and 1 week.

Pronunciación

Stress Stress on the second syllable of 'repeat'.

Stress the second syllable.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
Could you please repeat that?

Could you please repeat that? (General)

Neutral
Repeat that, please.

Repeat that, please. (General)

Informal
Say that again?

Say that again? (General)

Jerga
Come again?

Come again? (General)

Derived from Latin 'repetere'. It entered English via Old French.

Middle English:

Dato curioso

The word 'repeat' is used in music to indicate a section should be played again.

Notas culturales

Americans value efficiency. Using this phrase is seen as a quick, polite way to keep a conversation moving.

“Repeat that, please, I didn't catch the address.”

British speakers might add 'Sorry' before the phrase to be extra polite.

“Sorry, could you repeat that, please?”

Inicios de conversación

“

I'm sorry, I didn't hear the time. Could you repeat that, please?

Errores comunes

✗

Repeat!

✓

Repeat that, please.

wrong register
Saying just 'Repeat!' sounds like a command to a dog or a soldier. It is very rude to people.

L1 Interference

0 1

In Other Languages

Spanish Very Similar

¿Puedes repetir eso, por favor?

Spanish often uses the 'tú' or 'usted' form, which changes the verb conjugation.

French Very Similar

Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ?

French speakers often omit the object 'that' (ça) if it is implied.

German moderate

Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?

German requires the object 'das' (that) to be placed before the verb.

Japanese Partially Similar

もう一度お願いします (Mou ichido onegaishimasu)

The focus is on the quantity of times rather than the action of repeating.

Arabic Very Similar

هل يمكنك تكرار ذلك من فضلك؟

Arabic grammar requires gender agreement for the person being addressed.

Spotted in the Real World

🎬

(2005)

“Could you repeat that, please?”

Office meeting

Fácil de confundir

Repeat that, please. vs Repeat after me

Learners think it means 'say it again'.

'Repeat after me' is for copying, 'Repeat that, please' is for clarification.

Preguntas frecuentes (1)

No, it is very polite if you include 'please'.

basic understanding

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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