Meeting phrases
How to ask someone to repeat themselves in a meeting — polite phrases
Updated September 17, 2026
The polite way is short and specific: “Sorry, I didn’t catch that — could you repeat the last part?” Below are 26 phrases for the usual reasons you miss something on a video call, what to type in the chat instead, and a few replies to avoid.
Tone in thirty seconds
- Soften the start. “Sorry,” “Could you” and “a little” turn a demand into a request. “Could” is softer than “can”.
- Be specific. Name the part you missed. It is faster for the speaker and shows you were following.
- Own it or blame the line. “I missed” and “on my end” never sound like criticism. “You mumbled” always does.
- Close the loop. After the repeat, “Got it, thanks” or a one-line paraphrase tells everyone they can move on.
You didn’t hear it
Say which part you missed. “The last part” or “the part after the budget” is easier to repeat than the whole thing, and it shows you were listening.
Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Could you say it again?
Works with anyone, any level.
Sorry, could you repeat the last part?
You heard the start and lost the end.
I missed the part after ___. Could you go back to that?
The most specific version — the speaker knows exactly where to restart.
Sorry, could you say that one more time?
For the second ask. Keep it light.
They are speaking too fast
Make it about getting it right, not about their speed.
Could you slow down a little? I want to make sure I get this right.
The reason makes the request feel like care, not criticism.
Could you go over that a bit more slowly?
For a dense explanation or a list of steps.
That was a lot at once. Could you take me through it step by step?
When a whole plan went by in one breath.
The connection is the problem
Blame the line, not the person — usually it really is the line.
Sorry, you’re breaking up. Could you repeat that?
Words drop out of their sentences.
I think we lost you for a few seconds. Could you start again from ___?
Name the last thing you heard.
Your audio cut out on my end. Could you say that again?
“On my end” takes the blame off them.
I think you’re on mute.
Lips moving, no sound. Say it early.
Sorry, my connection dropped. What did I miss?
When you were the one who dropped.
You heard it but didn’t understand
A repeat in the same words rarely helps here. Ask for a different explanation, or say back what you understood.
Sorry, what does ___ stand for?
Acronyms and internal shorthand.
I’m not familiar with ___. Could you explain what it means here?
A term that may mean something specific in this team.
Could you put that another way?
The words were clear, the idea was not.
Just to make sure I understood: you mean ___?
Check a decision before you act on it.
So if I understand correctly, ___. Is that right?
The paraphrase-back. People rarely mind this one.
Names, numbers and links
These are the details people get wrong by ear. Move them into writing.
Sorry, could you tell me your name again?
Better now than after the call.
How do you spell that?
Names, company names, addresses.
Was that fifteen or fifty?
The classic pair that sounds alike on a bad line.
Could you drop that in the chat?
Numbers, dates, links.
Could you share the link in the chat?
When someone says “it’s on the wiki”.
In the meeting chat
The chat is a quiet way to ask without stopping the speaker. Keep it short.
Sorry, I missed the last part. Could someone recap?
Lets anyone answer, not only the speaker.
Quick question: what does ___ mean in this context?
Doesn’t interrupt the flow.
Could you post the numbers here so I have them?
Gives a practical reason.
My audio dropped for a minute. Did I miss a decision?
Asks only for what matters.
Replies to avoid
- What? — On its own it sounds annoyed, even when you are not.
- Huh? — Fine with friends, careless in a meeting.
- Come again? — Casual; with some listeners it sounds brusque.
- You’re not making sense. — Makes your comprehension their fault. Say “I’m not following” instead.
“Can you repeat that?” in other languages
For meetings in another language: the formal and casual way to ask, 20 more phrases for video calls, and the level of politeness of each. Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Russian include a pronunciation line.
Spanish
¿Podría repetirlo, por favor?
“Can you repeat that?” in Spanish and 20 more →
French
Pourriez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ?
“Can you repeat that?” in French and 20 more →
German
Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?
“Can you repeat that?” in German and 20 more →
Japanese
もう一度おっしゃっていただけますか。
“Can you repeat that?” in Japanese and 20 more →
Korean
다시 한번 말씀해 주시겠습니까?
“Can you repeat that?” in Korean and 20 more →
Italian
Potrebbe ripetere, per favore?
“Can you repeat that?” in Italian and 20 more →
Chinese (Mandarin)
不好意思，您能再说一遍吗？
“Can you repeat that?” in Chinese and 20 more →
Russian
Не могли бы вы повторить?
“Can you repeat that?” in Russian and 20 more →
If you ask in every meeting, read the call instead
Asking once is normal. If you ask in every meeting — a fast speaker, an unfamiliar accent, a call in your second language — live captions save both sides the back-and-forth. Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams all have built-in live captions in the language being spoken; turn those on first. If fast speech or accents are the usual reason you ask, see reading fast speech and strong accents.
If you need the meeting in your own language, Trippi is a browser extension for Chrome and Edge that shows live captions with a translation under each line in Google Meet, Zoom and Teams on the web. No bot joins the call and it is free to start. It does not work in the desktop Zoom or Teams apps.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most polite way to ask someone to repeat themselves?+
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Could you say it again?” works with anyone. It is even better when you name the part you missed: “Could you repeat the last part?”
Is “Pardon?” rude?+
No. “Pardon?” and “Pardon me?” are polite. In many offices the short “Sorry?” is more common, and a full sentence such as “Sorry, could you repeat that?” is the safest in a meeting.
How do I ask someone to repeat themselves without sounding annoying?+
Say which part you missed, blame the line rather than the speaker when the audio is bad, and after the repeat say back what you understood. For names and numbers, ask for them in the chat instead of asking twice.
What do I say if I still don’t understand after they repeat it?+
Don’t ask for the same words a third time. Ask for another explanation — “Could you put that another way?” — or paraphrase: “So if I understand correctly, … Is that right?”
How do I ask someone to repeat in another language?+
There are separate pages with the polite and casual forms, 20 meeting phrases and the tone for each: Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Chinese, Russian.