Mandarin Chinese: Politely Ask Someone to Repeat Themselves
Learn five polite Mandarin phrases to ask a speaker to repeat what they said, with pinyin, tone marks, and register notes for everyday conversation.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
When you miss part of a Mandarin sentence, the most useful repair move is not asking what a word means; it is asking the speaker to say the whole thing again. This lesson teaches five polite, natural ways to do that. You will learn neutral requests, softer requests for strangers or elders, and a quick conversational option. All phrases use 请 (qǐng, please) or a question form, so they sound considerate rather than abrupt. Pay attention to tone marks: 再 (zài) is fourth tone, 说 (shuō) is first tone, and 一遍 (yí biàn) changes tone because of tone sandhi. Practice each phrase aloud until the rhythm feels comfortable.
By the end, you can…
- ask a Mandarin speaker to repeat a sentence politely in at least three registers.
- choose between neutral and more formal repetition requests depending on the listener.
- respond appropriately when someone repeats or clarifies what they said.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
请再说一遍。
Please say it again.
qǐng zài shuō yí biàn
Neutral, safe default with classmates, colleagues, and service staff. 请 (qǐng) makes it polite without being stiff.
不好意思，能再说一遍吗？
Sorry, could you say that again?
bù hǎo yì si, néng zài shuō yí biàn ma
Softer and very common. Use 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si) to apologize lightly before the request, especially with strangers.
麻烦您再说一遍。
Sorry to trouble you, please say it again.
má fan nín zài shuō yí biàn
More respectful. 麻烦 (má fan) means 'to trouble' and 您 (nín) is the polite 'you', so this suits elders, teachers, or formal settings.
我没听清，请再说一遍。
I didn't hear clearly; please say it again.
wǒ méi tīng qīng, qǐng zài shuō yí biàn
Adds a reason so the request does not sound like blame. 没听清 (méi tīng qīng) means 'did not hear clearly'.
啊？再说一遍好吗？
Huh? Could you say that again?
á? zài shuō yí biàn hǎo ma?
Casual and friendly, best with friends or peers. 好吗 (hǎo ma) literally asks 'is that okay?' and softens the request.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 再 (zài) + verb + 一遍 (yí biàn): 再说一遍 (zài shuō yí biàn, say it again), 再念一遍 (zài niàn yí biàn, read it again), 再讲一遍 (zài jiǎng yí biàn, explain it again). 再 means 'again' and 一遍 means 'one time through'. To make it polite, add 请 (qǐng) before the verb or end with 好吗 (hǎo ma) or 可以吗 (kě yǐ ma). For example: 请再说一遍。 (qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.) 可以再说一遍吗？ (kě yǐ zài shuō yí biàn ma?) Both ask for repetition, not for a definition.
When to use it
Use 请再说一遍。 (qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.) as your default in most situations. If the listener is a stranger, an elder, or someone in authority, choose 麻烦您再说一遍。 (má fan nín zài shuō yí biàn.) or 不好意思，能再说一遍吗？ (bù hǎo yì si, néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?) With close friends, 啊？再说一遍好吗？ (á? zài shuō yí biàn hǎo ma?) is natural. Avoid using a bare 什么？ (shén me?) with a sharp tone, because it can sound like 'What?' rather than a polite request.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
明天下午三点在图书馆门口见。
See you tomorrow at 3 p.m. at the library entrance.míng tiān xià wǔ sān diǎn zài tú shū guǎn mén kǒu jiàn不好意思，能再说一遍吗？
Sorry, could you say that again?bù hǎo yì si, néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?可以。明天下午三点，图书馆门口。
Sure. Tomorrow at 3 p.m., at the library entrance.kě yǐ. míng tiān xià wǔ sān diǎn, tú shū guǎn mén kǒu谢谢，这次听清了。
Thanks, I heard it clearly this time.xiè xie, zhè cì tīng qīng le.A little context goes a long way
In Mandarin conversation, politeness often comes from softening words rather than from long apologies. 请 (qǐng), 麻烦 (má fan), 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si), and 您 (nín) do this work. Tone also matters: a rising, gentle voice makes the same words sound polite, while a flat or impatient tone can make even 请 sound demanding. With close friends, a short 啊？再说一遍好吗？ is friendly, but with teachers or older people, use 您 and 麻烦.
One thing to watch for
Using 什么？ (shén me?) alone to mean 'What did you say?'
Try this instead: 什么？ can sound abrupt or even confrontational. Say 请再说一遍。 (qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.) or 不好意思，能再说一遍吗？ (bù hǎo yì si, néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?) instead. If you truly did not hear at all, 我没听清，请再说一遍。 (wǒ méi tīng qīng, qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.) is clear and polite.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are talking to a teacher and miss a sentence. Which phrase is the most appropriate?
Show a sample answer
麻烦您再说一遍。
麻烦 (má fan) and 您 (nín) show respect, which fits a teacher. 请再说一遍。 is also acceptable, but 麻烦您 is warmer in this context.
2What does 一遍 (yí biàn) mean in 请再说一遍？
Show a sample answer
It means 'one time through' or 'once'.
一遍 is a verb measure word meaning one complete repetition. It does not mean 'a little' or 'again'; 再 (zài) carries the 'again' meaning.
3Your friend mumbles a plan. Give a casual but polite request for repetition.
Show a sample answer
啊？再说一遍好吗？
This is friendly and soft because 好吗 (hǎo ma) asks for agreement. 不好意思，能再说一遍吗？ would also work but sounds slightly more formal.
Default to 请再说一遍。 (qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.) for neutral situations, add 不好意思 or 麻烦您 for extra politeness, and use 啊？再说一遍好吗？ only with friends.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Chinese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr