How to Ask Someone to Repeat Something in English / 英語で丁寧に聞き直す・もう一度言ってもらう表現

Missing a word, a number, or part of a sentence during an English conversation happens to everyone — even fluent speakers. Maybe the speaker talks fast, the room is noisy, or the topic itself is unfamiliar. The important thing isn’t avoiding this moment; it’s knowing exactly what to say when it happens.

You’ll need this skill in situations like:

• In a meeting, when your manager gives instructions and you miss the deadline they mentioned.
• On a phone call, when the connection is unclear and you can’t catch a name or number.
• At a networking event, when someone introduces themselves and you didn’t catch their name.
• In a noisy café or restaurant, when background noise makes it hard to hear a colleague.
• During a video call, when the audio cuts out for a second and you miss part of a sentence.
• When someone speaks with an unfamiliar accent, and you need a moment to adjust your ear.

Learners often stay quiet instead of asking again, worried it will seem rude or make them look less capable. In reality, the opposite is true. Asking for repetition — clearly and politely — shows that you are engaged and want to get the details right. It prevents small misunderstandings from turning into bigger mistakes, like missing a deadline or misunderstanding an instruction. Mastering this one small skill makes every other conversation easier, because you stop guessing and start confirming.

日本語： 英語の会話で聞き取れないことは、誰にでもあります。話すスピードが速かったり、周りが騒がしかったり、話題が難しかったりするからです。大切なのは「聞き取れないこと」自体ではなく、「そのときに何と言えばいいか」を知っていることです。会議、電話、初対面の挨拶、騒がしいカフェ、オンライン通話など、聞き取れない場面は多くあります。もう一度聞くことは失礼ではなく、むしろ「きちんと理解しようとしている」という良い印象を与えます。小さな聞き間違いが大きなミスにつながる前に、確認する習慣をつけましょう。

The Simple Formula for Asking Someone to Repeat

Most repetition requests follow one of three simple patterns:

1. Apology + request: “Sorry, could you repeat that?”
2. What you missed + request: “I didn’t catch [the part about the deadline]. Could you say that again?”
3. Confirmation check: “Just to confirm, did you say [Friday at 2 p.m.]?”

The apology (“Sorry”) softens the request so it doesn’t sound demanding. The specific detail (the bracketed part) tells the listener exactly what you missed, so they don’t have to repeat the whole sentence. And “could you” keeps the tone polite and natural in almost any situation, from a casual chat to a formal meeting.

日本語： リクエストの型は主に3つです。①「すみません＋もう一度お願いします」、②「〜の部分が聞き取れませんでした＋もう一度言ってください」、③「確認ですが、〜ということですか」。”Sorry” を最初に置くと柔らかい印象になり、聞き取れなかった部分を具体的に伝えると、相手は全部を繰り返さなくて済みます。”Could you” を使うと、カジュアルな場面でもフォーマルな場面でも自然に聞こえます。

Vocabulary You’ll Need

Hearing and Understanding

• catch = 聞き取る
• miss = 聞き逃す
• hear clearly = はっきり聞こえる
• follow (the conversation) = 話についていく
• understand = 理解する
• misunderstand = 誤解する

Speed and Clarity

• slowly = ゆっくり
• quickly = 早く
• clearly = はっきりと
• mumble = もごもご話す
• pronounce = 発音する
• pace = 話す速さ

Confirming and Checking

• confirm = 確認する
• double-check = 再確認する
• make sure = 確かめる
• repeat = 繰り返す
• clarify = はっきりさせる
• rephrase = 言い換える

Workplace Communication

• deadline = 締め切り
• instructions = 指示
• detail = 詳細
• the last part = 最後の部分
• follow up = フォローアップする
• take notes = メモを取る

日本語： 上の単語は「聞き取り・理解」「スピード・明瞭さ」「確認」「職場でのやり取り」の4つに分かれています。特に “catch,” “confirm,” “clarify” はビジネスの場面で非常によく使われるので、意味だけでなく発音も一緒に覚えておくと便利です。

Phrases Grouped by What You Want to Do

Starting the Request Politely

• Sorry, could you repeat that?
• Excuse me, could you say that again?
• Sorry to interrupt, but could you repeat that?
• I’m sorry, I missed that.

Use these the moment you realize you missed something — before the conversation moves on to a new topic.

Asking About a Specific Part

• Could you repeat the last part?
• Could you say the time again?
• Could you go over the number one more time?
• Sorry, what was the part about the deadline?

Use these when you understood most of the sentence but missed one detail, like a number, name, or date. Pointing to the exact part saves everyone time.

Asking for Slower or Clearer Speech

• Could you say that a little more slowly?
• Could you speak a bit more clearly, please?
• Sorry, could you slow down a little?
• I’m having trouble following. Could you go slower?

Use these when the problem isn’t one missed word, but the overall speed or clarity of how someone is speaking.

Confirming What You Heard

• Just to confirm, did you say Friday?
• So you mean the meeting is at 3, right?
• Let me make sure I got that — you said 500, correct?
• Sorry, just to double-check, was that 500 or 5000?

Use these after someone repeats something, to check that you now understood it correctly — especially with numbers, which are easy to mishear.

Ending Politely After Repetition

• Got it, thank you.
• Thanks for repeating that.
• That makes sense now, thank you.
• Perfect, thanks for clarifying.

Use these to close the exchange smoothly and show appreciation, so the conversation flows naturally back to the main topic.

日本語： フレーズは5つの目的別グループに分かれています。①会話を丁寧に切り出す、②具体的な部分を聞き返す、③スピードや明瞭さをお願いする、④聞いた内容を確認する、⑤お礼を言って締めくくる。場面に応じてこれらを組み合わせると、自然で丁寧な印象になります。

Three Real-Life Conversations

Conversation 1: In the Office, With Your Manager

David (Manager): Alright, let’s go over today’s action items. First, I need you to contact the supplier about the new pricing. You: Sorry, could you say that again? I caught “supplier” but missed the rest. David: Sure — I need you to contact the supplier about the new pricing. You: Got it, thanks. And what’s next after that? David: After that, check last month’s budget numbers against the report. You: Sorry, could you repeat the last part? It went a bit fast. David: Check last month’s budget numbers against the report. You: Thanks. What’s the deadline for that? David: By end of day Wednesday. You: Just to confirm, did you say Wednesday, not Thursday? David: That’s right, Wednesday. You: Okay. And should I send the report to you or straight to finance? David: Send it straight to finance, and CC me on the email. You: Got it. One last thing — is there a meeting after this to review it? David: Yes, we’ll meet again Thursday morning to go over everything. You: Perfect, thanks for going over all of that. It’s much clearer now.

日本語訳（要約）： 上司のデイビッドが今日のタスクを説明します。「まず取引先に新しい価格について連絡してください」と言われますが、後半を聞き逃したので、もう一度お願いします。その後、先月の予算を確認する仕事、水曜日締め切りという日付、財務部へのメール送付、木曜日の確認ミーティングについて、一つずつ確認しながら会話が進みます。最後に「とても分かりやすくなりました」とお礼を言います。

Conversation 2: On the Phone, With a Coworker

Sarah (Coworker): Hey, it’s Sarah. I’m calling about tomorrow’s client meeting — it’s been moved. You: Sorry, could you repeat that? The line’s a bit unclear. Sarah: I said the client meeting has been moved to a different time. You: Okay, what time is it now? Sarah: It’s now at 10:30 instead of 9. You: Sorry, did you say 10:30 or 1:30? I didn’t catch it clearly. Sarah: 10:30 — one-zero, three-zero. You: Got it, thank you. And is the location still the same? Sarah: No, actually, it moved to the third floor conference room. You: Sorry, could you say that one more time? I missed which floor. Sarah: The third floor conference room. You: Thanks. Do I need to bring anything different this time? Sarah: Just bring the updated proposal — nothing else has changed. You: Perfect. Just to confirm, that’s 10:30, third floor, updated proposal? Sarah: Exactly, you’ve got it all. You: Great, thanks for calling to let me know.

日本語訳（要約）： 同僚のサラから電話があり、明日のクライアントミーティングの変更を伝えられます。電波が悪く聞き取りにくいので、何度か聞き返します。時間が9時から10時30分に変わったこと、場所が3階の会議室に変わったこと、更新した提案書を持ってくる必要があることを、一つずつ確認していきます。最後にすべての情報を復唱して間違いがないか確かめます。

Conversation 3: Meeting a New Client at a Business Dinner

Kenji Sato (New client): Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about your team’s work on the new app. You: Nice to meet you too. Sorry, could you repeat your name? I didn’t catch it clearly. Kenji: Of course — it’s Kenji, Kenji Sato. You: Thank you, Kenji. So, you mentioned the new app — what did you hear about it? Kenji: I heard your team finished the first version ahead of schedule. You: Sorry, could you say that again? I missed part of it — did you say ahead of schedule? Kenji: Yes, ahead of schedule — that’s quite impressive. You: Thank you. And which company are you with again? Kenji: I’m with Green Tech Solutions, on the partnerships side. You: Sorry, could you spell that? I want to write it down correctly. Kenji: Sure — G-R-E-E-N Tech Solutions. You: Got it, thank you. And just to confirm, you said partnerships, not sales? Kenji: That’s right, partnerships. You: Great, thank you for clarifying. It’s nice to put a face to the name. Kenji: Likewise! I’m looking forward to working together. You: Me too. Thanks again for explaining everything so clearly.

日本語訳（要約）： ビジネスディナーで新しいクライアントのケンジ・サトウさんと出会います。最初に名前を聞き逃したので聞き返し、その後、彼が聞いたというアプリの開発が予定より早く終わったこと、所属する会社名（Green Tech Solutions）とパートナーシップ部門であることを、一つずつ確認します。最後にお互い今後の仕事を楽しみにしていると伝え合います。

What Makes an Answer Sound Natural

A request for repetition sounds stiff when it’s too short, too blunt, or missing the softening words that make English polite.

Before (too blunt): “What? Say it again.” After (natural): “Sorry, could you say that again? I missed the last part.”

Before (too short): “Repeat, please.” After (natural): “Sorry to ask again, but could you repeat that? I want to make sure I get it right.”

Before (too direct): “I didn’t hear you.” After (natural): “Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that — could you say it one more time?”

To extend a short answer into something more natural, add three things: an apology (“Sorry”), a reason (“the connection was bad” / “it was noisy”), and a polite request (“could you repeat that?”). For example, instead of just “Repeat?”, try: “Sorry, it was a bit noisy on my end — could you repeat that last part?” This one extra sentence makes the request sound thoughtful instead of abrupt.

日本語： 短すぎる、または直接的すぎる表現は不自然に聞こえます。自然に聞こえるコツは、①謝る、②理由を添える、③丁寧にお願いする、の3つを組み合わせることです。例えば “Repeat?” だけでなく、「周りが少しうるさかったので、最後の部分をもう一度お願いできますか」のように理由を加えると、より丁寧で自然な印象になります。

Common Mistakes Japanese Speakers Make

1. Saying only “What?” This can sound too abrupt or even rude in English, even though it’s common in casual Japanese. Correction: “Sorry, what was that?” or “Sorry, could you say that again?”

2. Staying silent instead of asking. Many learners nod and pretend to understand to avoid seeming impolite, but this often causes bigger problems later. Correction: “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that — could you repeat it?”

3. Repeating the exact same question word-for-word if the first attempt didn’t work. If someone doesn’t understand you the first time, repeating identically often doesn’t help. Correction: Rephrase instead — “Sorry, let me ask that differently: could you go over the last part one more time?”

4. Forgetting to specify what part was missed. Saying only “Could you repeat that?” after a long sentence makes the speaker repeat everything. Correction: “Could you repeat the part about the deadline?” — this saves time for both people.

5. Sounding frustrated or impatient. A flat, sharp tone (even with polite words) can come across as annoyed. Correction: Soften your tone and add a small apology: “Sorry, one more time please? I really want to get this right.”

日本語： ①「え？」だけで済ませてしまう、②理解したふりをして黙ってしまう、③同じ言い方をそのまま繰り返す、④どの部分が分からなかったかを言わない、⑤イライラした口調になってしまう——これらはよくある間違いです。それぞれ、謝罪を加える、具体的な部分を伝える、言い方を変えるなどの工夫で、より自然で丁寧な表現になります。

Build Your Own Request

Use this template to build a repetition request for any situation:

“Sorry, I didn’t catch [what you missed]. Could you [repeat / say that again / go over it one more time]?”

Example 1 — A student who missed a homework deadline: “Sorry, I didn’t catch the due date for the homework. Could you say that again?”

Example 2 — An employee who missed a client’s phone number: “Sorry, I didn’t catch the client’s phone number. Could you repeat it, please?”

Example 3 — A new employee who missed part of the onboarding instructions: “Sorry, I didn’t catch the part about setting up my email account. Could you go over it one more time?”

日本語： テンプレートは「すみません、〜が聞き取れませんでした。もう一度〜していただけますか」という形です。宿題の締め切りを聞き逃した学生、クライアントの電話番号を聞き逃した社員、入社したばかりで説明を聞き逃した新入社員——それぞれの場面に合わせて空欄を埋めるだけで、すぐに使える丁寧なフレーズが完成します。