Which one should you use?
The informal version Tu peux répéter ? is used with friends, family or people you know well. In contrast, the formal or polite versions include Vous pouvez répéter ?, which is appropriate for strangers, superiors or groups of people. You might also use the more specific Pouvez-vous répéter? to ask "Can you repeat?" formally, or the even more polite Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît? to say "Could you repeat, please?" If you want to be very specific, you can use Pourriez-vous répéter votre phrase, s'il vous plaît? to mean "Could you repeat your sentence, please?" Informal variations include Est-ce que tu peux répéter? and Tu peux répéter ça? which means "Can you repeat that?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For informal situations with people you know, use Tu peux répéter ?, Est-ce que tu peux répéter? or Tu peux répéter ça? Adding s'il te plaît? to the end of an informal request makes it "Can you repeat, please?" For formal situations, use Vous pouvez répéter ? or Pouvez-vous répéter? when speaking to a stranger, a superior or a group. The most polite formal options are Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît? or the very specific Pourriez-vous répéter votre phrase, s'il vous plaît?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes use Comment ? (meaning "How?") when they miss a word. In French, saying Comment ? can sound abrupt or slightly impolite depending on your tone. Instead, use the safer and more polite Pardon ? with a rising intonation.
When do people say it?
If you want to be very brief and polite when you did not hear something, you can simply say Pardon ? with a rising intonation instead of using a full sentence.
Did you know?
- While Pardon ? is a polite way to ask for a repetition, in some very informal contexts, French speakers may simply make a short, rising Hein ? sound, similar to 'Huh?' in English.
- While English speakers often use 'What?' when they do not hear something, saying Quoi ? in French can sound quite rude or aggressive in many social contexts.
- The informal pronoun tu is a distant linguistic relative of the German 'du' and the Russian 'ты', all tracing back to the same Proto-Indo-European roots.
Examples in context
- Pourriez-vous répéter votre dernière phrase, s'il vous plaît?Could you repeat your last sentence, please?
- Est-ce que tu peux répéter ça?Can you repeat that?
- Désolé, tu peux répéter ?Sorry, can you repeat?
- Je n'ai pas compris, tu peux répéter ?I didn't understand, can you repeat?
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are talking in a noisy room.
- LucasOn se voit demain à midi.We will see each other tomorrow at noon.
- LéaDésolée, tu peux répéter ?Sorry, can you repeat?
- LucasJe dis qu'on se voit demain.I'm saying we'll see each other tomorrow.
- LéaD'accord, ça me convient !Okay, that works for me!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries répéter, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
