もう一度言ってください
mō ichido itte kudasai
The Japanese phrase for "please repeat" is もう一度言ってください (mō ichido itte kudasai).
This phrase is used as a polite request for someone to say something again because you did not hear or understand it.
What does it mean word for word?
The component もう一度 literally means "once more" or "one more time".
Which one should you use?
The term もう一度 (once more) is slightly more formal and precise than the more colloquial もう一回 (one more time).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the setting. For a polite request, use もう一度言ってください. If you want to be more formal, you can use もう一度お願いします or the even more polite and indirect もう一度言っていただけますか. In casual settings with close friends or family, you can use the informal もっかい言って or the casual もう一回言って.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can increase the politeness of your request by using もう一度言っていただけますか instead of もう一度言ってください.
How do you pronounce it?
mō ichido itte kudasai
Did you know?
- While English speakers often say 'Sorry?' to request repetition, using the English-style 'Gomen nasai?' in Japanese sounds like you are apologizing for a mistake rather than asking for clarification.
- In many Japanese professional settings, instead of asking someone to repeat themselves, it is more common to say 'I misunderstood,' which subtly places the burden of the communication failure on yourself.
- In Japanese culture, if you did not hear someone, it is often considered more polite to pretend you heard the gist of it and ask for clarification on a specific point rather than asking for a full repetition.
Examples in context
- もう一度言ってくださいますか。Could you please repeat that?This sentence is useful for asking someone to repeat something using the form もう一度言ってください.Tatoeba #194302 by bunbuku, translation #2242 by CK
- 質問をもう一度言ってくださいませんか？Could you please repeat the question?This sentence is useful for asking someone to repeat a question using the form もう一度言ってください.Tatoeba #8336035 by phenomenol, translation #3329450 by CK
Example conversation
Kenta is asking Misaki for directions.
- 美咲 Misaki駅まで真っ直ぐ行ってください。Eki made massugu itte kudasai.Please go straight to the station.
- 健太 Kentaすみません、もう一度言ってください。Sumimasen, mō ichido itte kudasai.I'm sorry, please repeat that.
- 美咲 Misaki駅まで真っ直ぐ行くと言いました。Eki made massugu iku to iimashita.I said go straight to the station.
- 健太 Kentaわかりました。ありがとうございます。Wakarimashita. Arigatō gozaimasu.I understand. Thank you.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
