When communicating with others, we may encounter situations where the other person’s voice is too soft, or we are distracted and didn’t hear what they said. In such cases, we would certainly hope that the other person would repeat themselves. However, based on the Chinese language, our first reaction might be to say, “You can say that again.” Literally, this means, “Please say it again,” which is not incorrect. But in English, this phrase generally does not mean that; rather, it indicates that the speaker completely agrees with what the other person has said, essentially saying, “You’re absolutely right.”
Since this is the meaning, how can we politely express that we didn’t hear and would like the other person to repeat themselves? Here are some basic expressions compiled for you:
“What? What did you say?”1. What? Simple and direct, suitable for familiar people. 2. Pardon me?/I beg your pardon? Note: When saying “I beg your pardon,” be careful with your tone, as a heavier tone can imply a challenge, suggesting, “Do you dare to say that again?!” Therefore, when expressing in English, always consider your tone or the other person’s tone. 3. Sorry, what did you say? You can also simply use “sorry?” or “I’m sorry?” to express this. 4. Come again?“Excuse me, what did you just say?”1. Sorry, but I missed that. 2. I’m really sorry, I didn’t hear/catch that. 3. Sorry, I didn’t get any of that. 4. I’m afraid I didn’t quite catch what you were saying. 5. I didn’t quite hear what you said.“Could you please say that again?”1. Could you say that again, please? 2. Could you repeat that, please? 3. I’m sorry, would you mind repeating that/(what you said), please? Remember, since you didn’t hear clearly, it’s important to be polite, so keep “sorry” and “please” in your speech. Of course, with very good friends, you can be a bit more casual. If someone else didn’t hear what you said, be patient and try these approaches:“What I meant was…” “Actually, I wanted to say…”1. I was (just) saying/expressing… 2. I just mean that… 3. I was just asking if … 4. I said, could you…
……
That’s all for today, thank you for reading.
This article was compiled and edited by Put English.
Image sourced from the internet.
For reprints, please contact us.