How to Politely Ask Someone to Repeat Something in English — Listening Practice / 英語で丁寧に聞き直す・もう一度言ってもらう表現
Master the three formulas, key vocabulary, and polite phrases for asking someone to repeat — then train your ear with 3 listening rounds. 英語で丁寧に聞き直す練習をしましょう。
Round 1 — Listen & Repeat
聞いてリピート · Listen to each phrase. Then say it out loud yourself.
🎤 Now say it out loud
Repeat the phrase you just heard. Then tap "Reveal Japanese" to check.
聞いたフレーズを声に出して言ってから、日本語を確認してください。
Section 1: Introduction / はじめに
Missing a word, a number, or part of a sentence during an English conversation happens to everyone — even fluent speakers. Whether the speaker talks fast, the room is noisy, or the topic itself is unfamiliar, knowing exactly what to say when it happens is an essential skill.
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.
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。
When will you use this? / いつ使う場面があるの？
Here are 6 real situations where you will need to ask someone to repeat:
- In a meeting: When your manager gives instructions and you miss the deadline they mentioned.
会議で上司が指示を出した際、締め切りを聞き逃したとき。 - On a phone call: When the connection is unclear and you cannot catch a name or number.
電話の電波が悪く、名前や電話番号が聞き取れないとき。 - At a networking event: When someone introduces themselves and you didn't catch their name clearly.
交流会で自己紹介をされた際、お相手の名前を聞き逃したとき。 - In a noisy café: When background noise makes it hard to hear a colleague or customer.
騒がしいカフェやレストランで、相手の声が聞き取りにくいとき。 - During a video call: When the audio cuts out for a second and you miss part of a sentence.
オンライン会議で音声が一瞬途切れ、文章の一部を聞き逃したとき。 - With new accents: When someone speaks with an unfamiliar accent and you need a moment to adjust your ear.
聞き慣れないアクセントで話され、耳を慣らす時間が必要なとき。
Why is this skill important? / なぜ大切なの？
Knowing how to politely ask someone to repeat in English helps you:
- Show that you are actively engaged — 「きちんと理解しようとしている」という良い印象を与える
- Prevent small misunderstandings from turning into big mistakes — 小さな聞き間違いが大きなミスになるのを防ぐ
- Stop guessing and start confirming with confidence — 勘に頼らず、確信を持ってコミュニケーションをとる
- Make every future conversation easier and less stressful — 不安を解消し、英会話全体のストレスを解消する
2. Core Language Pattern / 基本の型
Most repetition requests follow one of three simple patterns:
- Apology + request → Sorry, could you repeat that?
- What you missed + request → I didn't catch [the deadline]. Could you say that again?
- Confirmation check → Just to confirm, did you say [Friday at 2 p.m.]?
The Simple Formula / テンプレート
Specific Detail + Request: "I didn't catch [the part about the deadline]. Could you say that again?"
Confirmation Check: "Just to confirm, did you say [Friday at 2 p.m.]?"
1. 「Sorry」を最初に置いて丁寧さを出す。 依頼を柔らかくし、威圧感をなくします。
2. 聞き取れなかった部分を具体的に伝える。 相手が全文を繰り返す手間を省けます。
3. 「could you」を使って丁寧なトーンを保つ。 カジュアルでもビジネスでも自然に使えます。
Why specifying details saves time / 具体的な部分を伝えるメリット
Pointing to the exact part you missed (e.g. "I caught supplier, but missed the rest") saves time for both speaker and listener because they do not have to repeat the entire sentence.
「全部もう一度言ってください」と言うよりも、「〜の部分が聞き取れませんでした」と具体的に伝えることで、相手も必要な部分だけを話し直すことができ、お互いの時間を節約できます。
3. Vocabulary Bank / 単語リスト
Here are 24 essential words and phrases grouped into 4 functional categories:
Hearing and Understanding / 聞き取り・理解
Speed and Clarity / スピード・明瞭さ
Confirming and Checking / 確認
Workplace Communication / 職場でのやり取り
4. Useful Phrases by Function / 場面別フレーズ集
① Starting the Request Politely / 会話を丁寧に切り出すとき
② Asking About a Specific Part / 具体的な部分を聞き返すとき
③ Asking for Slower or Clearer Speech / スピードや明瞭さをお願いするとき
④ Confirming What You Heard / 聞いた内容を確認するとき
⑤ Ending Politely After Repetition / お礼を言って締めくくるとき
5. Three Real-Life Conversations / 会話の例 3つ
Conversation 1: In the Office, With Your Manager
Setting: Office discussion about action items with David (Manager).
Conversation 2: On the Phone, With a Coworker
Setting: Phone call about moving a meeting with Sarah (Coworker).
Conversation 3: Meeting a New Client at a Business Dinner
Setting: Networking at a business dinner with Kenji Sato (New Client).
6. Naturalness Tips / 自然に聞こえるコツ
Tip 1: Avoid sounding too blunt / 直接的すぎる言い方を避ける
Tip 2: Avoid commands that are too short / 短すぎる指示コマンドを避ける
Tip 3: Soften statements about not hearing / 「聞こえなかった」を和らげる
Tip 4: Combine three key components / 3つの要素（謝罪＋理由＋丁寧な依頼）を組み合わせる
7. What to Avoid / 避けたほうがいいこと
❌ Avoid: "What?"
✅ Better: "Sorry, what was that?" or "Sorry, could you say that again?"
❌ Avoid: Nodding and pretending to understand when you missed important details.
✅ Better: "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that — could you repeat it?"
❌ Avoid: Repeating the exact same sentence word-for-word if the listener looks confused.
✅ Better: "Sorry, let me ask that differently: could you go over the last part one more time?"
❌ Avoid: Saying only "Could you repeat that?" after a long sentence.
✅ Better: "Could you repeat the part about the deadline?"
❌ Avoid: Using a flat, sharp tone that sounds annoyed.
✅ Better: "Sorry, one more time please? I really want to get this right."
8. Practice Template / 練習テンプレート
Could you [repeat / say that again / go over it one more time]?
Worked Case Scenarios
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 onboarding instructions:
"Sorry, I didn't catch the part about setting up my email account. Could you go over it one more time?"