Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| comment | /kɔ.mɑ̃/ /kɔ̃.mɑ̃/ (Louisiana) |
|
| plaît-il | /plɛ.t‿il/ | |
| quoi | /kwa/ | |
| de quoi | /də kwa/ | informal |
These expressions are used as interjections when you have not heard or understood what someone has said and want them to repeat themselves.
Which one should you use?
While quoi is a very short, colloquial way to say 'what', de quoi is an informal alternative that feels slightly more complete. Plaît-il is a very formal and somewhat dated version of the request.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of formality varies significantly between these forms. Plaît-il is highly formal and dated, while comment is the standard neutral option. For more formal settings, you might use Revenez, s'il vous plaît, Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît? or Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous répéter? On the informal side, quoi is colloquial and can sound blunt or even rude depending on your tone, while de quoi is informal. In casual conversation, you might also hear Répète, s'il te plaît or Qu'est-ce que tu as dit?
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔ.mɑ̃/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use pardon to mean 'come again'. This is perfectly acceptable and a polite way to ask for repetition in French.
Did you know?
- The highly formal plaît-il is essentially a shortened version of a question asking if the statement 'pleases' the listener.
- While the English 'come again' refers to movement, the French standard comment literally translates to 'how'.
- If you use the very formal Plaît-il to ask someone to repeat themselves, you might sound like a character from a 19th-century novel.
Examples in context
- De quoi ?Come again?This example shows the informal use of quoi.Tatoeba #952623 by sacredceltic, translation #24989 by Dejo
- Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous répéter?Excuse me, could you repeat?
- Qu'est-ce que tu as dit?What did you say?
- Pardon, comment ?Sorry, could you repeat that?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A noisy cafe where a woman is speaking to a man.
- NathanIl fait très beau aujourd'hui.The weather is very beautiful today.
- ManonComment ?Come again?
- NathanJe disais qu'il fait beau.I was saying that the weather is nice.
- ManonAh, d'accord, j'ai compris.Ah, okay, I understand.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come again” translations and entries comment, plaît-il, quoi, de quoi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
