How to ask “Could you repeat?” in Portuguese beginner phrases

Introduction

Knowing how to ask someone to repeat themselves is one of the most practical skills for beginners learning Brazilian Portuguese. This short guide explains polite phrases, pronunciation tips, and useful follow-ups so you can handle real-life conversations in restaurants, shops, classrooms, and public transit.

Why asking for repetition matters

When you are learning a new language, missed words and unclear sounds are normal. Asking someone to repeat helps you confirm information, avoid misunderstandings, and keep conversations flowing naturally. In Brazil, polite and simple requests work best in everyday situations.

Essential Brazilian Portuguese phrases to ask someone to repeat

Start with a few reliable, polite phrases you can use in most contexts. The first appearance of each main phrase is highlighted for clarity.

Você pode repetir? – You can repeat? A direct, polite way to ask someone to repeat what they said.

Desculpe, pode repetir? – Excuse me, can you repeat? Adds a polite apology for interrupting or asking again.

Como? – How? Very short and common, used when you missed a word or a short phrase.

O que você disse? – What did you say? Slightly more direct; still polite when used with a friendly tone.

Não entendi – I did not understand. Useful when the issue is comprehension rather than simply missing a word.

Mais devagar, por favor – Slower, please. Ask this when the speaker talks too quickly.

Você pode falar de novo? – Can you say it again? An alternative to repetir with the same meaning.

Politeness and context: choosing the right phrase

Use Desculpe, pode repetir? or Você pode repetir? in shops, cafes, classrooms, or with strangers to sound polite. In casual conversations with friends, short phrases like Como? or O que? are fine. When speaking with authority figures or service staff, a complete polite phrase plus por favor sounds best.

Practical examples for daily situations

Below are realistic short exchanges where a beginner might need to ask for repetition. Each example uses clear, everyday vocabulary.

At a coffee shop
Garçom: Tem cappuccino e café com leite.
Você: Desculpe, pode repetir?
Garçom: Claro, temos cappuccino e café com leite.

On public transport asking the driver
Motorista: Próxima parada é Avenida Paulista.
Você: Como?
Motorista: Avenida Paulista, próxima parada.

In class with a teacher
Professor: O verbo irregular aqui é fazer, fiz, fez.
Você: Não entendi, pode explicar de novo, por favor?
Professor: Sim, repito: fazer, fiz, fez.

At a store checkout
Caixa: São cinquenta e três reais e cinquenta centavos.
Você: Você pode repetir?, por favor?
Caixa: Claro, cinquenta e três reais e cinquenta centavos.

Short vocabulary to know

repetir – to repeat

desculpe – sorry, excuse me

por favor – please

não entendi – I did not understand

mais devagar – slower

de novo / outra vez – again

como – how / what (informal short question)

Pronunciation tips for beginners

Pronunciation can make the difference between being understood and needing to ask for repetition yourself. Focus on these simple tips.

repetir – stress on the second syllable: re-pe-TIR. The r at the end sounds like a soft guttural in Brazilian Portuguese.

desculpe – de-SCUL-pe. The sc is like s at the start; the final e sounds like unstressed ih.

por favor – por FA-vor. The r in por is softer and not rolled like in European variants.

não entendi – não en-TEN-di. The nasal ão is a common sound; listen to native speakers and try to match nasalization.

Faster ways to ask for repetition politely

When you need a quick polite request, these short combos work well in everyday life.

Desculpe, pode repetir, por favor?

Mais devagar, por favor.

O que você disse, por favor?

Você pode falar de novo, por favor?

Common mistakes beginners make

Beginners often use literal translations from English that sound unnatural. Avoid direct English constructions like Could you repeat that? translated word-for-word without natural phrasing. In Portuguese, short and polite forms are typically preferred.

Another mistake is overusing formal phrases in casual situations. Saying O senhor pode repetir? to a friend sounds too formal. Use neutral forms like Você pode repetir? with peers.

Pronunciation errors: misplacing stress or avoiding nasal sounds can make repetition requests harder to understand. Practice the key words and listen to native speakers for rhythm.

How to confirm you understood after repetition

After someone repeats, use short confirmation phrases to show you understood. These also help close the interaction politely.

Ah, entendi – Ah, I understood.

Perfeito, obrigado/obrigada – Perfect, thank you. Use obrigado if you identify as male, obrigada if you identify as female; many learners default to obrigado.

Legal, obrigado/obrigada – Cool, thanks. Friendly and informal.

Isso, muito obrigado/obrigada – That is it, thank you very much.

Practice exercises for repetition phrases

Try these short drills to build confidence. Practice aloud and notice rhythm and stress.

1. Say Desculpe, pode repetir? five times with focus on natural intonation.

2. Role-play a cafe scene: one person orders, the other mumbles; practice asking Como? or Você pode repetir?

3. Listen to a short Brazilian Portuguese audio (news headline or song line). Pause after one sentence and say Não entendi, then replay and repeat the sentence aloud.

Useful follow-up phrases after hearing repetition

If you still need clarification after a repeat, use these quick follow-ups to get specific help.

Pode soletrar? – Can you spell it? Good for names or addresses.

Você pode falar mais devagar? – Can you speak more slowly? Useful when speed is the problem.

Que palavra é essa? – Which word is that? Ask this when a single word was unclear.

Você pode escrever? – Can you write it down? Helpful for numbers, addresses, or long words.

Quick cheat sheet (printable)

Desculpe, pode repetir? – Excuse me, can you repeat?

Você pode repetir? – Can you repeat?

Como? – How/What?

Não entendi – I did not understand

Mais devagar, por favor – Slower, please

Conclusion

Mastering a handful of polite repetition phrases like Desculpe, pode repetir? and follow-ups such as Mais devagar, por favor will make everyday interactions in Brazil much easier. Practice pronunciation, use short confirmations after someone repeats, and try the role-play exercises to gain confidence in real conversations.