Signification
Asking someone to reduce their speaking speed.
Contexte culturel
Romanians are very proud of their language and usually delighted when foreigners try to speak it. Asking them to slow down is seen as a compliment to their fluency. In this region, people are known for a slower pace of life and speech. You might hear 'cătinel' instead of 'rar'. The capital is fast-paced. People speak quickly and often use 'păi' or 'deci' as fillers. You will need 'vorbește mai rar' here more than anywhere else. The accent here is very musical but can be hard for beginners due to softened consonants. Asking to slow down helps you distinguish the specific 'sh' and 'ch' sounds.
Use your hands
Pair the phrase with a 'slow down' hand gesture (palms facing down, moving up and down) to be extra clear.
Don't just say 'Rar!'
Saying just one word can sound like a barked command. Always use at least 'Mai rar' or 'Vorbește mai rar'.
Signification
Asking someone to reduce their speaking speed.
Use your hands
Pair the phrase with a 'slow down' hand gesture (palms facing down, moving up and down) to be extra clear.
Don't just say 'Rar!'
Saying just one word can sound like a barked command. Always use at least 'Mai rar' or 'Vorbește mai rar'.
The 'Vă rog' sandwich
Put 'Vă rog' at the beginning or end to instantly sound 10x more fluent and polite.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word to ask a friend to speak slower.
Te rog, _________ mai rar.
Since 'te rog' is informal, you must use the singular imperative 'vorbește'.
Which phrase is the most polite to use with a stranger?
Asking a stranger to slow down:
'Vorbiți' is the polite form and 'vă rog' adds necessary courtesy.
Complete the dialogue.
A: [Speaks very fast Romanian] B: Scuzați-mă, nu înțeleg. ___________
This is the standard way to ask for clarity when someone is speaking too fast.
Match the phrase to the context.
1. Vorbește mai rar, te rog. 2. Vă rog să vorbiți mai rar.
Singular is for friends, plural/polite is for superiors.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesTe rog, _________ mai rar.
Since 'te rog' is informal, you must use the singular imperative 'vorbește'.
Asking a stranger to slow down:
'Vorbiți' is the polite form and 'vă rog' adds necessary courtesy.
A: [Speaks very fast Romanian] B: Scuzați-mă, nu înțeleg. ___________
This is the standard way to ask for clarity when someone is speaking too fast.
1. Vorbește mai rar, te rog. 2. Vă rog să vorbiți mai rar.
Singular is for friends, plural/polite is for superiors.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
4 questionsNo, 'încet' and 'lent' also exist, but 'rar' is the most natural for speech tempo.
Yes, but use the polite form: 'Vorbiți mai rar, vă rog'.
Try saying: 'Încă o dată, mult mai rar, vă rog' (One more time, much slower, please).
No, for steak, Romanians use 'în sânge' (in blood). 'Rar' only means rare in terms of frequency.
Expressions liées
Vorbește mai încet
similarSpeak more quietly / slowly
Repetă, te rog
builds onRepeat, please
Mai ușor
synonymEasier / Slower
Nu înțeleg
builds onI don't understand
