How to Say “Say that again” in Spanish Naturally

Introduction

Learning how to ask someone to repeat themselves is one of the most practical skills for any Spanish learner. Whether you missed what someone said in a noisy café in Madrid or need clarification during a business meeting in Mexico City, knowing the right phrases will keep your conversations flowing smoothly and naturally.

The Most Common Way: ¿Cómo?

The simplest and most universal way to ask someone to repeat themselves in Spanish is ¿Cómo? This single word literally translates to how in English, but in conversational Spanish, it functions as what? or say that again?

When you use ¿cómo?, raise your intonation at the end to make it clearly sound like a question. This phrase works in virtually any Spanish-speaking country and in both formal and informal settings, making it your go-to option when you need something repeated.

Example conversation:
Speaker A: Nos vemos mañana a las tres.
Speaker B: ¿Cómo?
Speaker A: A las tres de la tarde.

Polite Formal Alternatives

¿Perdón? and ¿Disculpe?

When you want to sound more polite or are speaking with someone you should address formally, ¿Perdón? and ¿Disculpe? are excellent choices. Both translate roughly to pardon me? or excuse me? in English.

¿Perdón? works well in most situations and strikes a balance between casual and formal. ¿Disculpe? leans slightly more formal and is particularly appropriate when speaking with elders, authority figures, or in professional contexts.

You might hear:
Customer: ¿Disculpe? No escuché el precio.
Cashier: Son quince euros con cincuenta.

¿Puede repetir, por favor?

For maximum politeness, especially in formal situations, use ¿Puede repetir, por favor? This phrase means can you repeat, please? and shows respect and consideration for the speaker.

A variation that’s equally polite is ¿Podría repetir eso, por favor? The use of podría (the conditional form) instead of puede adds an extra layer of courtesy, similar to saying could you rather than can you in English.

Casual Expressions Among Friends

¿Qué? and ¿Mande?

In informal settings with friends or family, many Spanish speakers simply say ¿Qué? which directly translates to what? While this is perfectly acceptable among peers, avoid using ¿qué? with people you should address formally, as it can sound abrupt or even rude.

In Mexico and some Central American countries, ¿Mande? is incredibly common. This unique expression literally means command me but functions as a polite way to say what? or pardon? Interestingly, ¿mande? is considered respectful in these regions, though speakers from Spain or South America might find it overly formal or unusual.

¿Cómo dices? and ¿Qué dices?

Adding a verb creates a more complete question. ¿Cómo dices? means what are you saying? or how’s that? while ¿Qué dices? translates to what are you saying? Both are casual and work well with friends.

For formal situations, simply change the verb to the usted form: ¿Cómo dice? or ¿Qué dice? This small adjustment makes these phrases appropriate for professional or respectful contexts.

Being Specific About Why You Need Repetition

When You Didn’t Hear Clearly

Sometimes you want to explain why you’re asking for repetition. No escuché bien means I didn’t hear well and can be combined with a request: No escuché bien, ¿puede repetir?

Other useful phrases include:
No te escuché (informal) – I didn’t hear you
No le escuché (formal) – I didn’t hear you
Había mucho ruido – There was a lot of noise

When You Didn’t Understand

If the issue isn’t hearing but comprehension, try No entendí, which means I didn’t understand. Follow it with ¿puede explicar de nuevo? for can you explain again?

For language learners, being honest helps: Estoy aprendiendo español, ¿puede hablar más despacio? means I’m learning Spanish, can you speak more slowly? Most native speakers will appreciate your effort and gladly accommodate.

Regional Variations You Should Know

Spain vs. Latin America

While most phrases work across the Spanish-speaking world, some regional preferences exist. In Spain, you’ll frequently hear ¿Perdona? (informal) alongside ¿perdón? Both work similarly, but perdona uses the informal tú form.

Latin American speakers often prefer ¿disculpa? (informal) or ¿disculpe? (formal) over the perdona/perdón variations, though all are understood everywhere.

Country-Specific Expressions

Argentina and Uruguay have their own flavor with ¿Cómo decís? using the vos form common in these countries. In the Caribbean, you might hear ¿Ah? as a very casual way to ask for repetition among close friends.

The Mexican ¿mande? remains unique to that region and parts of Central America, so don’t expect it to be widely used in South America or Spain.

Combining Phrases for Natural Flow

Native speakers rarely use these phrases in isolation. Combining them creates more natural-sounding requests:
Perdón, ¿cómo dice? – Sorry, what did you say?
Disculpe, no entendí bien – Excuse me, I didn’t understand well
¿Cómo? No escuché – What? I didn’t hear

Adding lo siento (I’m sorry) before your request shows extra consideration: Lo siento, ¿puede repetir eso?

Non-Verbal Communication Matters

Your body language reinforces your message. Cup your hand behind your ear while saying ¿cómo? to indicate you didn’t hear clearly. Lean in slightly when asking for repetition to show you’re paying attention and genuinely interested in understanding.

Maintaining eye contact and a friendly facial expression ensures your request doesn’t come across as frustrated or impatient, especially important when asking someone to repeat themselves multiple times.

Practice Scenarios for Real Life

At a Restaurant

Waiter: El especial del día incluye ensalada y postre.
You: ¿Perdón? ¿Qué incluye?
Waiter: Ensalada y postre.

In a Classroom

Teacher: La tarea es para el próximo miércoles.
Student: Disculpe, ¿puede repetir la fecha?
Teacher: El próximo miércoles.

Meeting New People

New friend: Me llamo Sebastián.
You: ¿Cómo te llamas? No escuché bien.
New friend: Sebastián, con acento en la a.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t directly translate English phrases word-for-word. Saying di eso otra vez for say that again sounds unnatural, even though it’s grammatically correct. Stick with the idiomatic expressions native speakers actually use.

Avoid overusing ¿qué? in formal settings. While perfectly acceptable with friends, it can seem curt or disrespectful in professional environments or with elders.

Remember that ¿mande? is regional. Using it in Spain or Argentina might confuse people, as it’s not part of their daily vocabulary.

Building Confidence in Conversation

Don’t feel embarrassed about asking for repetition. Native speakers do it constantly, especially in noisy environments or when distracted. Requesting clarification shows you care about understanding and engaging properly in the conversation.

As your Spanish improves, you’ll develop intuition for which phrase fits each situation. Start with ¿cómo? and ¿perdón? as your foundations, then gradually incorporate other variations as you become more comfortable.

Conclusion

Mastering these ways to ask someone to repeat themselves will dramatically improve your Spanish conversations. From the universal ¿cómo? to the polite ¿puede repetir, por favor? and the regional ¿mande?, you now have a complete toolkit for every situation. Practice these phrases regularly, pay attention to how native speakers use them, and you’ll soon be navigating Spanish conversations with greater confidence and ease.