ゆっくり話してください
yukkuri hanashite kudasai
The English phrase "please speak slowly" is translated into Japanese as ゆっくり話してください (yukkuri hanashite kudasai).
This phrase is a polite request used to ask someone to reduce their speed of talking.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of ゆっくり, which means 'slowly' or 'leisurely'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard polite way to say this is ゆっくり話してください. For a more formal and indirect approach, you can use ゆっくり話していただけますか. If you are speaking with friends or family, you can use the informal ゆっくり話して by dropping the ください or even more casually, ゆっくり話してもらえる？ and ちょっとスローに話してよ. For a very formal situation, 少しゆっくり話していただけませんか？ is a suitable way to ask someone to speak a little slower.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is constructed using the -te form of the verb 話す combined with ください to create a polite request.
How do you pronounce it?
yukkuri hanashite kudasai
Did you know?
- The verb 話す (hanasu) can mean both 'to speak' and 'to untie', a linguistic connection suggesting that speaking is like unraveling a knot of thoughts.
- While ゆっくり is the standard word for 'slowly', the word 遅く (osoku) is rarely used for speaking speed because it often implies being 'late' or 'tardy'.
- The phrase ゆっくり is often used in the common greeting ゆっくりしていってください, which tells a guest to 'make themselves at home' or 'take their time'.
Examples in context
- ゆっくり話してください。Please speak slowly.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase ゆっくり話してください.Tatoeba #8795518 by dotheduyet1999, translation #403059 by Ramses
- ちょっとスローに話してよ！Could you speak a bit more slowly!
- すみません、ゆっくり話してください。Sumimasen, yukkuri hanashite kudasai.Excuse me, please speak slowly.
- 日本語が難しいので、ゆっくり話してください。Nihongo ga muzukashii node, yukkuri hanashite kudasai.Because Japanese is difficult, please speak slowly.
Example conversation
Yui is practicing Japanese with Kenta.
- 結衣 Yui健太さん、ゆっくり話してください。Kenta-san, yukkuri hanashite kudasai.Kenta, please speak slowly.
- 健太 Kentaあ、ごめんなさい。大丈夫ですか？A, gomen nasai. Daijoubu desu ka?Oh, I'm sorry. Is this okay?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、今のスピードなら分かります。Hai, ima no supiido nara wakarimasu.Yes, I can understand at this speed.
- 健太 Kenta分かりました。気をつけますね。Wakarimashita. Ki o tsukemasu ne.I understand. I'll be careful.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
