How to Ask for More Explanation in Spanish: "¿Podrías profundizar en eso?"
Learn intermediate Latin American Spanish phrases to ask someone to elaborate, clarify, or go deeper into a topic without simply asking them to repeat themselves.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
When you already understood the words but not the full meaning, repeating the sentence will not help. You need a different skill: asking the speaker to elaborate, give more detail, or explain the reasoning behind an idea. In Spanish, this uses a small set of polite formulas built around verbs like ampliar, profundizar, detallar, and explicar. This lesson teaches those formulas for broadly useful Latin American Spanish, with notes on formal and informal address.
By the end, you can…
- ask someone to elaborate on a point I did not fully understand.
- request more detail, examples, or reasoning in a polite and natural way.
- choose between informal tú and formal usted forms depending on the situation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
¿Podrías profundizar un poco más en eso?
Could you elaborate on that a little more?
poh-DREE-ahs pro-foon-dee-SAHR oon POH-koh MAHS en EH-soh
Informal tú form. Use with friends, classmates, or colleagues you already address as tú. Profundizar means to go deeper into a topic.
¿Me podría ampliar esa idea?
Could you expand on that idea for me?
meh poh-DREE-ah am-PLYAHR EH-sah ee-DEH-ah
Formal usted form. Common in professional or service situations. Ampliar means to broaden or expand an explanation.
No me queda del todo claro. ¿Me lo puedes explicar con más detalle?
It is not completely clear to me. Can you explain it to me in more detail?
noh meh KEH-dah del TOH-doh KLAH-roh meh loh PWEH-dehs eks-plee-KAHR kohn MAHS deh-TAH-yeh
Useful when you understood part of the idea but need specifics. The first sentence softens the request.
¿A qué te refieres exactamente con eso?
What exactly do you mean by that?
ah keh teh reh-FYEH-rehs ek-SAK-tah-MEN-teh kohn EH-soh
Asks for the meaning behind a specific word or claim. It is direct but not rude when your tone is calm.
¿Podrías darme un ejemplo para entenderlo mejor?
Could you give me an example so I can understand it better?
poh-DREE-ahs DAR-meh oon ek-SEM-ploh pah-rah en-ten-DEHR-loh meh-HOR
Requests an example rather than a longer explanation. Very useful in class or training settings.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Most polite requests for elaboration follow this pattern: ¿Podrías + infinitive + más/detalle? For informal tú, use ¿Podrías ampliar...? or ¿Podrías profundizar...? For formal usted, change the verb to podría: ¿Me podría ampliar esa idea? You can also use querer: ¿Quieres profundizar en eso? This is less formal but still polite among peers. The key verbs are ampliar (expand), profundizar (go deeper), detallar (give details), and explicar (explain). Each one signals a slightly different need, so choose according to what you actually want.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you understood the words but not the full meaning, the reasoning, or the implications. For example, if a coworker says "el proceso es más complejo," you can ask ¿Podrías profundizar en eso? to learn why. If a teacher gives a general rule, ask ¿Me lo puedes explicar con más detalle? If someone uses an unfamiliar term, ask ¿A qué te refieres exactamente con eso? Avoid using these when you simply did not hear; in that case, ask for repetition instead. In formal contexts, keep usted: ¿Me podría ampliar esa idea?
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entonces, ¿el proyecto va a cambiar de enfoque?
So, is the project going to change its focus?en-TON-ses el pro-YEK-toh bah ah kam-BYAHR deh en-FOH-kehSí, pero es más complejo de lo que parece.
Yes, but it is more complex than it seems.see peh-roh es MAHS kom-PLEH-hoh deh loh keh pah-REH-seh¿Podrías profundizar un poco más en eso? No me queda del todo claro.
Could you elaborate on that a little more? It is not completely clear to me.poh-DREE-ahs pro-foon-dee-SAHR oon POH-koh MAHS en EH-soh noh meh KEH-dah del TOH-doh KLAH-rohClaro. Vamos a priorizar dos áreas y dejar el resto para la próxima etapa.
Sure. We are going to prioritize two areas and leave the rest for the next stage.KLAH-roh BAH-mohs ah pree-oh-ree-SAR dohs AH-reh-ahs ee deh-HAR el RES-toh pah-rah lah PROK-see-mah eh-TAH-pahA little context goes a long way
In much of Latin America, directness varies by country and setting. In Colombia, Peru, and Mexico, softening phrases like No me queda del todo claro or Si no es mucha molestia are common before a request. In more informal settings, ¿Me explicas mejor? works fine. In professional contexts, usted remains important in many regions, especially with older speakers or clients. When in doubt, use the formal form first; the other person may invite you to use tú.
One thing to watch for
Using ¿Puedes repetir? when you actually want a deeper explanation.
Try this instead: Repetir means to say the same thing again. If you need more detail, use ¿Podrías profundizar en eso? or ¿Me lo puedes explicar con más detalle? For example, after a vague answer, say ¿Podrías ampliar esa idea con un ejemplo? rather than asking for repetition.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are in a meeting and your boss says the plan is "más complejo." Ask her to elaborate using formal usted.
Show a sample answer
¿Me podría ampliar esa idea?
This uses the formal podría and ampliar, which asks for expansion of the idea. ¿Podría profundizar en eso? is also correct and slightly more focused on depth.
2A classmate uses a term you do not understand. Ask what they mean exactly, informally.
Show a sample answer
¿A qué te refieres exactamente con eso?
This asks for the specific meaning of the term. ¿Qué quieres decir con eso? is also valid but slightly more casual.
3You understood the general idea but need an example. Ask politely in informal Spanish.
Show a sample answer
¿Podrías darme un ejemplo para entenderlo mejor?
This requests an example and explains why. ¿Me das un ejemplo? is shorter and also acceptable among peers.
To ask for more explanation in Spanish, move beyond repetition: use ¿Podrías profundizar en eso?, ¿Me podría ampliar esa idea?, or ¿A qué te refieres exactamente con eso? Match tú or usted to the situation.
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