Bedeutung
Polite request for someone to say something again.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Czechs often speak very quickly and mumble slightly (the 'Prague accent'). Don't feel bad asking for repetition; it's a normal part of life even for natives from different regions. In Slovakia, the phrase is 'Môžete to zopakovať?'. Because the languages are mutually intelligible, you can use the Czech version in Slovakia and be perfectly understood, though it marks you as a Czech speaker. In very formal settings, like a university lecture, students might use 'Mohl byste...' to show extreme deference to a professor. Among expats, 'Můžete to zopakovat' is often the first full sentence learned. It's considered a 'badge of honor' to use it instead of switching to English immediately.
The 'Prosím' Power-up
Always add 'prosím' at the end. It makes any request sound 10x more natural and polite.
Don't just say 'Co?'
Saying 'Co?' (What?) is the fastest way to sound like a grumpy teenager. Stick to the full phrase.
Bedeutung
Polite request for someone to say something again.
The 'Prosím' Power-up
Always add 'prosím' at the end. It makes any request sound 10x more natural and polite.
Don't just say 'Co?'
Saying 'Co?' (What?) is the fastest way to sound like a grumpy teenager. Stick to the full phrase.
Use your hands
A small 'ear-cupping' gesture while saying this phrase helps communicate your need even if your pronunciation isn't perfect.
Eye Contact
Maintain polite eye contact when asking for repetition. It shows you are genuinely trying to engage.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing modal verb for a formal situation.
________ to zopakovat, prosím?
'Můžete' is the correct formal/plural form of the verb 'moci'.
Which sentence is the most polite when talking to a stranger?
Select the best option:
The 'Vy' form (Můžete) is the standard for polite interaction with strangers.
Complete the dialogue at the train station.
Clerk: 'Vlak jede z nástupiště čtyři.' Learner: 'Promiňte, ________?'
The learner didn't hear the platform number and needs a repetition.
Match the phrase to the correct social context.
Phrase: 'Můžeš to zopakovat?'
'Můžeš' is the informal 'Ty' form, appropriate for family.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Clarification Toolkit
Hearing
- • Můžete to zopakovat?
- • Ještě jednou, prosím.
- • Slyšíme se?
Understanding
- • Co to znamená?
- • Nerozumím.
- • Jak se to řekne?
Aufgabensammlung
4 Aufgaben________ to zopakovat, prosím?
'Můžete' is the correct formal/plural form of the verb 'moci'.
Select the best option:
The 'Vy' form (Můžete) is the standard for polite interaction with strangers.
Clerk: 'Vlak jede z nástupiště čtyři.' Learner: 'Promiňte, ________?'
The learner didn't hear the platform number and needs a repetition.
Phrase: 'Můžeš to zopakovat?'
'Můžeš' is the informal 'Ty' form, appropriate for family.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it's perfect. Unless you are friends with the barista, 'Vy' form is the standard.
Say: 'Můžete to napsat?' (Can you write it down?) or 'Můžete to říct jinak?' (Can you say it differently?).
Yes, 'Prosím?' is a very common and polite way to ask for repetition, similar to 'Pardon?' in English.
'Zopakovat' is perfective, meaning you want them to do it once and finish. 'Opakovat' sounds like a continuous action.
It's the same! 'Můžete' is both formal singular and general plural.
Yes, 'Cože?' or 'Znova?', but be careful as they can sound rude.
'Jak prosím?' is like 'I beg your pardon?', while 'Můžete to zopakovat?' is a direct request to say it again.
It's better to say 'Můžete mi to poslat ještě jednou?' (Can you send it to me once more?) in writing.
Yes. In Czech, transitive verbs like 'zopakovat' almost always need an explicit object.
Use 'Můžeš to zopakovat?' because you use 'Ty' with children.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Můžete mluvit pomaleji?
similarCan you speak more slowly?
Co to znamená?
builds onWhat does that mean?
Jak se to řekne...?
similarHow do you say...?
Nerozumím.
contrastI don't understand.
Ještě jednou, prosím.
synonymOnce more, please.
