もう一度言ってもらえますか？
mou ichido itte moraemasu ka?
In Japanese, "can you repeat that?" is expressed as もう一度言ってもらえますか？ (mou ichido itte moraemasu ka?)
This phrase is used as a polite request when you have not heard or understood what someone has said and want them to say it again.
Which one should you use?
While もう一度言ってもらえますか？ is a polite request, もう一度言ってください。 serves as a more direct, standard polite command to ask someone to repeat themselves.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
もう一度言ってもらえますか？ is a polite way to ask for repetition. In very informal situations, you might hear え？ (meaning "Huh?"), but be aware that this is blunt and can be perceived as rude in formal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the ~te moraemasu ka form, which is a standard way to ask someone to do something for you in a polite manner.
How do you pronounce it?
mou ichido itte moraemasu ka?
Did you know?
- In formal Japanese, rather than asking can you repeat that?, it is often more polite to say 聞き取れませんでした (I could not catch/hear it), which places the fault on your own hearing rather than the speaker's clarity.
- The phrase もらえますか (can I receive/get) treats the act of speaking as a gift being given to you, highlighting the culture of receiving favors through verbal actions.
- In very formal business Japanese, the phrase is often replaced by もう一度おっしゃっていただけますか, which uses the honorific verb おっしゃる instead of 言う.
Examples in context
- すみませんが、もう一度言ってもらえますか？Sumimasen ga, mou ichido itte moraemasu ka?Excuse me, but can you repeat that?
- よく聞き取れなかったので、もう一度言ってもらえますか？Yoku kikitore nakatta node, mou ichido itte moraemasu ka?I couldn't quite hear you, so can you repeat that?
- 難しいので、もう一度言ってもらえますか？Muzukashii node, mou ichido itte moraemasu ka?It is difficult, so can you repeat that?
Example conversation
Yui is explaining a meeting time to Daito.
- 結衣 Yui明日の会議は十時からです。Ashita no kaigi wa jū-ji kara desu.Tomorrow's meeting starts at ten o'clock.
- 大翔 Hirotoすみません、もう一度言ってもらえますか？Sumimasen, mō ichido itte moraemasu ka?Sorry, can you repeat that?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、十時からです。Hai, jū-ji kara desu.Yes, it's from ten o'clock.
- 大翔 Hirotoわかりました。ありがとうございます。Wakarimashita. Arigatō gozaimasu.I understand. Thank you very much.
