¿Puedes repetirlo?
In Spanish, "can you say that again?" is expressed as ¿Puedes repetirlo?
This phrase is used to request that someone repeat something they have just said because it was not heard or understood.
Which one should you use?
For a more polite or formal request, you might use ¿Puede repetirlo, por favor? or the highly polite ¿Podría decirlo nuevamente?, which means "Could you say it again?" For a very casual approach, you can use ¿Me lo puedes decir otra vez? to mean "Can you tell me again?" or even just the single word ¿Cómo? in very informal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
Using puede instead of puedes makes the request formal and polite. The default form ¿Puedes repetirlo? uses the tú form, which is used with friends, family or people your own age.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying ¿Puedes repetir? While English speakers often omit the object pronoun 'lo' (it), in Spanish, it is more natural to include lo to specify what is being repeated.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, like parts of Mexico, people might use ¿Mande? instead of asking for a repetition. This is a polite way to signal that you did not hear or understand.
- The Spanish word repetir is a cognate of the English 'repeat', both descending from the Latin repetere, which meant 'to seek again'.
- In Spain, it is common to hear ¿Qué? as a way to ask for repetition, but in various Latin American countries, this can be perceived as too aggressive.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿puede repetirlo, por favor?Excuse me, can you repeat that, please?
- Me parece que no entendí bien. ¿Podría decirlo nuevamente, por favor?I think I didn't understand well. Could you say it again, please?
- No escuché lo que dijiste. ¿Puedes repetirlo, por favor?I didn't hear what you said. Can you repeat it, please?
- No entendí bien. ¿Me lo puedes decir otra vez?I didn't understand well. Can you tell me again?
- No escuché bien, ¿puedes repetirlo?I didn't hear well, can you repeat it?
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are talking in a noisy cafe.
- AlejandroDime qué quieres comer.Tell me what you want to eat.
- ElenaQuiero una ensalada de tomate.I want a tomato salad.
- AlejandroLo siento, ¿puedes repetirlo?I'm sorry, can you repeat it?
- ElenaClaro, una ensalada de tomate.Sure, a tomato salad.
