Spanish for Beginners
How to Ask Someone to Repeat or Slow Down in Spanish
You can keep participating even when you miss something. These phrases give you a way to pause, explain that you are learning, and ask for the help you actually need.
Useful Spanish phrases
Read each phrase with its English meaning. Then cover the translation and picture when you would use it.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Estoy aprendiendo español. | I am learning Spanish. |
| ¿Puede repetir, por favor? | Could you repeat that, please? |
| Más despacio, por favor. | More slowly, please. |
| No entiendo. | I do not understand. |
| ¿Qué significa esta palabra? | What does this word mean? |
| ¿Cómo se dice esto en español? | How do you say this in Spanish? |
Like learning through everyday situations? See how HeyHola brings them into practice.
Choose the kind of help you need
Repetition and slower speech are different requests. If you missed a word because of noise, hearing the sentence again may help. If the pace is difficult to follow, use the slower-speech request. The example shows Ana making requests during a conversation; it does not script an answer the listener must give.
Ask about meaning or wording
The final two questions have different jobs. One asks what a word means; the other asks how to express something in Spanish. Learn the English meanings alongside the Spanish so you can choose deliberately. Practice pointing to an object or a written word while choosing the matching question.
Try a short conversation
An illustrative practice scene using the phrases above. Pauses leave room for replies that may vary in a real conversation.
- Ana, explaining
- Estoy aprendiendo español.I am learning Spanish.
- Ana, requesting repetition
- ¿Puede repetir, por favor?Could you repeat that, please?
- Ana, asking for a slower pace
- Más despacio, por favor.More slowly, please.
A common mistake to avoid
Do not use the question about how to say something when you want the meaning of a word you just heard. Identify whether you need repetition, meaning, or a new expression first.
A note for real life
The repetition question uses a polite usted form. A request for clarification is a normal part of communication, but the other person may still need you to explain the situation.
PICO’S PRACTICE TIP
Your turn
Imagine three moments: someone spoke too quickly, you heard an unfamiliar word, and you want to name an object. Choose a different phrase for each. Check the English only after you have made your choice.
Phrase source: HeyHola’s authored app lessons.