What does it mean word for word?
The adverb ゆっくり means 'slowly' or 'leisurely'.
Which one should you use?
While ゆっくり話してください is a standard polite way to make the request, you can use お話をもう少しゆっくりお願いします to say 'Please speak a bit more slowly.' For a more indirect and much more polite approach suitable for business or strangers, you can use ゆっくり話していただけますか？ which means 'Could you please speak slowly?'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard polite form is ゆっくり話してください. You can make the request informal by dropping the ください and saying ゆっくり話して, which is used with friends or people of lower status. Informal variations include もっとゆっくり話してよ ('Speak more slowly.') and ちょっとゆっくり話してくれる？ ('Could you speak a bit more slowly?').
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ゆっくり話してください is constructed using the -te form of the verb (話して) followed by ください to create a standard polite request.
How do you pronounce it?
yukkuri hanashite kudasai
Did you know?
- In some digital contexts, like gaming or texting, the concept of ゆっくり is associated with a specific style of synthesized voice narration that has become a popular internet subculture.
- The adverb ゆっくり is an onomatopoeic word, known as a 'gitaigo' or mimetic word, which mimics the feeling of a slow and steady pace.
- Japanese has a specific word 早口 ('hayakuchi') to describe someone who naturally speaks fast, often used in the context of 'tongue twisters' called 早口言葉.
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
- はい、ゆっくり話します。Okay, I will speak slowly.
- ああ、もっとゆっくり言って！Ah, say it more slowly!
- すみませんが、ゆっくり話してください。Sumimasen ga, yukkuri hanashite kudasai.I'm sorry, but please speak slowly.
- 聞き取れないので、ゆっくり話してください。Kikitorenai node, yukkuri hanashite kudasai.I can't quite catch it, so please speak slowly.
Example conversation
Kenta is talking to Misaki but cannot keep up with her speed.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さん、大丈夫ですか？Kenta-san, daijoubu desu ka?Kenta, are you okay?
- 健太 Kentaすみません。ゆっくり話してください。sumimasen. yukkuri hanashite kudasai.I'm sorry. Please speak slowly.
- 美咲 Misakiわかりました。ゆっくり話しますね。wakarimashita. yukkuri hanashimasu ne.I understand. I will speak slowly.
- 健太 Kentaありがとうございます。arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
