Meeting phrases · Japanese
How to say “Can you repeat that?” in Japanese — and 20 other meeting phrases
Updated September 17, 2026
In a work call, say もう一度おっしゃっていただけますか。 (Mō ichido osshatte itadakemasu ka?). With a colleague on casual terms, もう一回言って？ (Mō ikkai itte?) is enough. Below are 20 more phrases for the moments video calls go wrong — each with its level of politeness.
もう一度おっしゃっていただけますか。
Mō ichido osshatte itadakemasu ka?
Formal (keigo) Business keigo: for clients, senior people and external meetings.
もう一度言っていただけますか。
Mō ichido itte itadakemasu ka?
Polite Polite without full keigo: fine with most colleagues.
もう一回言って？
Mō ikkai itte?
Casual Only with friends or very close teammates.
Pronunciation line: Romaji (Hepburn, long vowels marked).
Formal or casual?
Japanese speech has three practical levels: casual, polite (desu/masu forms) and keigo, which combines honorific language that raises the listener with humble language that lowers yourself. With clients and senior people use keigo; with teammates the polite form is the norm. おっしゃる (honorific “say”) together with いただく (humble “receive”) is correct business Japanese, not a double-keigo mistake.
Starting with すみません (“excuse me”) or 恐れ入りますが (a more formal “I’m sorry to trouble you, but”) softens any request.
When you did not hear it
Sorry, I didn’t catch that.
A sentence was lost to noise or crosstalk.
すみません、よく聞き取れませんでした。
Sumimasen, yoku kikitoremasen deshita.
Polite
Could you repeat the last part?
You heard the start and lost the end.
最後のところをもう一度お願いできますか。
Saigo no tokoro o mō ichido onegai dekimasu ka?
Polite
Could you speak a little louder?
The speaker is far from their microphone.
もう少し大きな声でお願いできますか。
Mō sukoshi ōkina koe de onegai dekimasu ka?
Polite
Could you speak more slowly, please?
The point is important and it came too fast.
もう少しゆっくり話していただけますか。
Mō sukoshi yukkuri hanashite itadakemasu ka?
Polite
When you heard it but did not understand
I don’t understand.
Say it early rather than nodding along.
すみません、よく分かりませんでした。
Sumimasen, yoku wakarimasen deshita.
Polite
What does ___ mean?
An acronym, a product name or in-house jargon.
「___」とはどういう意味ですか。
“___” to wa dō iu imi desu ka?
Polite
Could you explain that another way?
A repeat in the same words would not help.
別の言い方で説明していただけますか。
Betsu no iikata de setsumei shite itadakemasu ka?
Polite
So you mean that ___?
Check a decision back before you act on it.
つまり、___ということですか。
Tsumari, ___ to iu koto desu ka?
Polite
When the connection is the problem
I can’t hear you.
The speaker’s sound is gone.
すみません、声が聞こえません。
Sumimasen, koe ga kikoemasen.
Polite
Can you hear me?
Right after you join or unmute.
聞こえますか。
Kikoemasu ka?
Polite
Your audio is breaking up.
Words drop out of the middle of sentences.
音声が途切れています。
Onsei ga togirete imasu.
Polite
I think you’re on mute.
Lips move, no sound.
ミュートになっているようです。
Myūto ni natte iru yō desu.
Polite Clearer: マイクがミュートになっているようです (Maiku ga myūto ni natte iru yō desu).
Sorry, my connection dropped.
You rejoin after being cut off.
すみません、接続が切れてしまいました。
Sumimasen, setsuzoku ga kirete shimaimashita.
Polite
Can you see my screen?
You start sharing.
画面は見えていますか。
Gamen wa miete imasu ka?
Polite
Names, spelling and the chat
Sorry, could you tell me your name again?
Introductions went by too quickly.
恐れ入りますが、お名前をもう一度伺ってもよろしいですか。
Osoreirimasu ga, onamae o mō ichido ukagatte mo yoroshii desu ka?
Formal (keigo)
How do you write your name in kanji?
A name, an address or a term you will need later.
お名前はどのような漢字で書きますか。
Onamae wa dono yō na kanji de kakimasu ka?
Polite Japanese names are asked about by kanji, not spelled letter by letter.
Could you write it in the chat?
Numbers, links and names are safer in writing.
チャットに書いていただけますか。
Chatto ni kaite itadakemasu ka?
Polite
Keeping the meeting moving
One moment, please.
You need a second to find something.
少々お待ちください。
Shōshō omachi kudasai.
Formal (keigo)
Sorry to interrupt.
You need to step in before the topic moves on.
お話し中すみません。
Ohanashi-chū sumimasen.
Polite More formal: お話し中失礼します (Ohanashi-chū shitsurei shimasu).
Got it, thank you.
Close the loop after they repeat.
承知しました。ありがとうございます。
Shōchi shimashita. Arigatō gozaimasu.
Formal (keigo) Polite: 分かりました (Wakarimashita). Casual: 分かった (Wakatta).
Short replies to be careful with
- 何？ (Nani?) — Sounds blunt, even rude, when you are asking someone to repeat.
- え？ (E?) — A normal reaction, but too casual with clients or senior people. Say すみません、もう一度お願いします (Sumimasen, mō ichido onegai shimasu) instead.
One call, start to finish
The same phrases in the order a real meeting tends to need them.
-
1. The speaker’s audio cuts out in the middle of a sentence.
音声が途切れています。
Onsei ga togirete imasu.
もう一度おっしゃっていただけますか。
Mō ichido osshatte itadakemasu ka?
-
2. The next point comes too fast to follow.
もう少しゆっくり話していただけますか。
Mō sukoshi yukkuri hanashite itadakemasu ka?
-
3. A new participant introduces themselves and you miss the name.
恐れ入りますが、お名前をもう一度伺ってもよろしいですか。
Osoreirimasu ga, onamae o mō ichido ukagatte mo yoroshii desu ka?
お名前はどのような漢字で書きますか。
Onamae wa dono yō na kanji de kakimasu ka?
-
4. They read out a number you need to get exactly right.
チャットに書いていただけますか。
Chatto ni kaite itadakemasu ka?
承知しました。ありがとうございます。
Shōchi shimashita. Arigatō gozaimasu.
If the whole meeting is in Japanese
Phrases get you through a few missed sentences. When the entire call is in Japanese and you follow it at half speed, reading helps more than asking again. Trippi is a browser extension for Chrome and Edge that shows live captions of what is said in Japanese, with a translation into English under each line, in Google Meet, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in the browser. No bot joins the call, and it is free to start.
What it does not do: it does not work in the desktop Zoom or Teams apps, and automatic captions still miss rare names and jargon — which is exactly when the phrases above come in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most polite way to say “Can you repeat that?” in Japanese?+
もう一度おっしゃっていただけますか。 (Mō ichido osshatte itadakemasu ka?) — Business keigo: for clients, senior people and external meetings. With colleagues: もう一回言って？ (Mō ikkai itte?).
How do you say “Can you speak slower?” in Japanese?+
もう少しゆっくり話していただけますか。 (Mō sukoshi yukkuri hanashite itadakemasu ka?) It is polite and fits a work call.
How do you say “I don’t understand” in Japanese?+
すみません、よく分かりませんでした。 (Sumimasen, yoku wakarimasen deshita.)
Is “何？” rude in Japanese?+
Sounds blunt, even rude, when you are asking someone to repeat.
What if I still don’t understand after they repeat it in Japanese?+
Ask for a different explanation — 別の言い方で説明していただけますか。 (Betsu no iikata de setsumei shite itadakemasu ka?) — or ask them to put it in the chat: チャットに書いていただけますか。 (Chatto ni kaite itadakemasu ka?)