Introduction
As a beginner learning Brazilian Portuguese, asking someone to repeat themselves is one of the most useful skills you can have. This article explains several ways to say Can you repeat? in Portuguese, when to use each phrase, and practical examples for everyday situations like restaurants, classrooms, and public transport. Learn polite forms, quick fixes, and common pronunciation tips to sound natural and confident.
Why learning repeat phrases matters
Asking someone to repeat themselves helps you understand directions, order food correctly, and follow conversations. In Brazil, speakers often talk quickly or use regional expressions, so having a few reliable phrases ready will make interactions smoother and less stressful.
Core phrases to ask Can you repeat? in Brazilian Portuguese
Here are the most natural and common ways to ask someone to repeat in Brazilian Portuguese. Use more polite forms with strangers or service staff, and quicker informal forms with friends.
Você pode repetir? — You can repeat? A neutral and polite question. Use with adults and service staff.
Pode repetir? — Can you repeat? A shorter, common version often heard in casual and formal contexts.
Repete, por favor? — Repeat, please? Informal and friendly; suitable for classmates or friends.
Desculpe, pode repetir? — Sorry, can you repeat? Adds an apology and sounds very polite and respectful.
Como? — How? Short and very common when you did not hear or understand a single word. Can be informal.
O quê? — What? Simple and direct; used informally but can sound abrupt if not softened with por favor or desculpe.
Politeness and tone: when to use each phrase
Match the phrase to the situation. In a restaurant, bank, hospital, or with older people, add desculpe or por favor to be polite. With friends, classmates, or shop assistants you know, the shorter forms are fine.
Examples of polite use
Desculpe, pode repetir, por favor?
Use this with a cashier, a receptionist, or an older person when you missed information like a total, a time, or a name.
Examples of casual use
Como? Você repete?
Say this among friends, classmates, or when practicing in a language exchange. It is quick and natural.
Short follow-up phrases to specify what you missed
Sometimes you hear the sentence but miss a single word like a number, name, or direction. These follow-up phrases let you be specific.
Você pode repetir o número? — Can you repeat the number?
Você pode repetir o nome? — Can you repeat the name?
Você pode repetir a hora? — Can you repeat the time?
Não entendi a última parte. — I did not understand the last part. A helpful way to ask the speaker to repeat the final words.
Practical examples for everyday situations
Below are short, realistic dialogs and situations where beginners often need to ask someone to repeat. Each example uses Brazilian Portuguese phrases you can practice and memorize.
At a café
Barista: Qual o seu pedido?
You: Desculpe, pode repetir?
Barista: Sim, o que você quer?
In the classroom
Teacher: Abra o livro na página trinta e dois.
Student: Repete, por favor? Não ouvi a página.
On the bus
Driver: Próxima parada: Centro.
Passenger: Como? Você pode repetir o nome da parada?
On a phone call
Caller: Eu vou confirmar o horário: às quatorze horas.
You: Desculpe, pode repetir o horário?
At the supermarket
Cashier: São vinte e cinco reais e cinquenta centavos.
You: O quê? Pode repetir o preço?
Pronunciation tips for beginners
Brazilian Portuguese has sounds that may be new to English speakers. Here are simple tips to help you sound clearer when asking someone to repeat.
Você pode repetir?
Pronounce você like voh-SEH, with stress on the second syllable. Pode is POH-jee in informal speech; repetir is heh-peh-CHEER with the initial r sounding like an h in many Brazilian accents.
Pode repetir?
Stress POH in pode and use the same repetir pronunciation. Shorter and quicker than você pode repetir.
Desculpe, pode repetir?
Desculpe is dehs-KOOL-peh. Adding desculpe softens the request and shows respect.
Common mistakes beginners make
Beginners often copy literal English structures or forget polite markers. Here are mistakes to avoid and corrections to use instead.
Mistake: Saying repetir você? This is an unnatural word order in Portuguese.
Correction: Você pode repetir? or Pode repetir?
Mistake: Using too direct O quê? in a formal setting without por favor or desculpe.
Correction: Desculpe, o quê? or Desculpe, pode repetir, por favor?
Mistake: Pronouncing the initial r as a tapped r like in Spanish. In many Brazilian accents, r at the start of words sounds like an h.
Correction: Pronounce repetir with an h-like sound at the start: heh-peh-CHEER.
Short practice drills for learners
Practice these drills out loud to build fluency and confidence. Repeat each phrase until you can say it smoothly, then try them in mock conversations.
Drill 1: Say each polite phrase three times: Desculpe, pode repetir, por favor? — Você pode repetir? — Pode repetir?
Drill 2: Quick checks: Como? — O quê? — Repite, por favor? Say each quickly as if you missed one word.
Drill 3: Full sentence practice with a missing detail: Você pode repetir o número? — Você pode repetir a hora? — Você pode repetir o endereço?
How to respond when someone asks you to repeat
Understanding how to repeat information helps you be a better conversation partner. Use clear, slow speech and simple words when repeating for a learner.
Try these responses
Claro, eu repito devagar: … — Sure, I will repeat slowly: …
Desculpe, eu falei rápido. É às três horas. — Sorry, I spoke fast. It is at three o’clock.
Repito: são vinte e cinco reais. — I repeat: it is twenty-five reais.
Useful vocabulary related to asking for repetition
These short words help you build more specific requests or understand replies.
por favor — please
desculpe — sorry / excuse me
novamente — again
devagar — slowly
mais devagar — slower
não entendi — I did not understand
repita — repeat (imperative, formal or polite)
repete — repeat (imperative, informal)
Final tips for real conversations
Be natural and don’t over-apologize. A single desculpe and a clear request like Pode repetir? is usually enough. Watch the speaker’s mouth, listen for keywords, and ask for the specific part you missed rather than repeating the whole sentence when possible. Use devagar to ask the person to speak more slowly if the speed was the issue.
When practicing, record yourself and compare to Brazilian native speakers to improve rhythm and intonation. Join language exchanges or use simple everyday interactions like ordering coffee to practice these phrases in real situations.
Conclusion
Learning how to say Can you repeat? in Brazilian Portuguese gives you a practical tool for real-life conversations. Memorize a few polite and casual phrases, practice pronunciation, and use follow-up questions to specify what you missed. With these simple phrases and examples, beginners can navigate shops, transport, classrooms, and social situations more confidently.
