habla más despacio
/abla mas despaθjo/from spelling rules
To say "talk slower" in Spanish, use habla más despacio.
This phrase is used as a request for someone to reduce the speed at which they are speaking.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb habla (speak), the adverb más (more) and the adverb despacio (slowly).
Which one should you use?
While you might be tempted to use más lento (which literally means "more slow"), it is more natural in Spanish to use más despacio when specifically referring to the speed of speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are addressing more than one person, you should use the plural form hablen más despacio instead of habla más despacio.
Did you know?
- The word despacio is built from the Latin words for 'from' and 'space'. Literally, to speak slowly is to give the words more 'space' between them.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, simply saying habla más despacio might be supplemented by a physical gesture of lowering your palm. This visual cue helps the listener understand you need a slower tempo even before they process your words.
- In Spanish, espacio is a versatile word that can refer to both physical 'space' and 'time' depending on the sentence.
Examples in context
- Hable más despacio, por favor.Please, speak slower.
- Habla más despacio, por favor.Speak slower, please.
- Me cuesta entender cuando hablas tan rápido.I have trouble understanding when you speak so quickly.
- Perdone, ¿podría hablar más despacio, por favor?Excuse me, could you speak more slowly, please?
- Por favor, habla más despacio.Please, talk slower.
- No te entiendo, habla más despacio.I don't understand you, talk slower.
- Si quieres que te entienda, habla más despacio.If you want me to understand you, talk slower.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are practicing Spanish together in a café.
- ElenaDaniel, no te comprendo bien.Daniel, I don't understand you well.
- Daniel¿Qué pasa?What is happening?
- ElenaHabla más despacio, por favor.Talk slower, please.
- DanielEstá bien, lo siento.Okay, I'm sorry.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries despacio, habla, más, CC BY-SA 4.0.
