A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Could you repeat that" in French
Politely ask someone to repeat themselves in French when you haven't understood.
Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ?
poo-ree-ay-VOO ray-pay-TAY, seel voo PLAYformal
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you miss what someone said in a conversation, whether it's a shopkeeper, a waiter, or someone you've just met. It's the standard polite way to ask for clarification without causing offense.
Alternatives
- Est-ce que vous pourriez répéter ?Slightly more direct, but still perfectly polite.
- Tu peux répéter, s'il te plaît ?Use this only with friends or people you know well and address with 'tu'.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing the 'r'
The French 'r' is in the back of your throat, not rolled with the tongue.
Missing the 's' in 's'il'
The 's' in 's'il' is pronounced, don't skip it.
Confusing 'pourriez' and 'pouvez'
'Pourriez' is the conditional, making it more polite than the present tense 'pouvez'.
A small cultural note
While this phrase is standard, sometimes a simple 'Pardon ?' or 'Comment ?' can also work in very casual settings, though it's less polite.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to say could you repeat that in French casually?
For casual use with friends, say 'Tu peux répéter, s'il te plaît ?'. This uses the informal 'tu'.
What if I didn't hear a word?
If you missed just one word, you can say 'Comment ?' or 'Pardon ?'. However, for a whole sentence, the full phrase is better.
Is 's'il vous plaît' always needed?
Adding 's'il vous plaît' makes the request much more polite. It's highly recommended when using 'vous'.
