Meeting phrases · Russian
How to say “Can you repeat that?” in Russian — and 20 other meeting phrases
Updated September 17, 2026
In a work call, say Не могли бы вы повторить? (Ne mogli by vy povtorit’?). With a colleague on casual terms, Можешь повторить? (Mozhesh’ povtorit’?) is enough. Below are 20 more phrases for the moments video calls go wrong — each with its level of politeness.
Не могли бы вы повторить?
Ne mogli by vy povtorit’?
Formal The most formal version: “Could you possibly repeat?”
Повторите, пожалуйста.
Povtorite, pozhaluysta.
Polite The everyday polite form at work.
Можешь повторить?
Mozhesh’ povtorit’?
Casual Uses ty. For colleagues you already call ty.
Pronunciation line: Simplified transliteration, stress not marked.
Formal or casual?
Russian has вы (vy — formal, or several people) and ты (ty — informal). Unlike English, an imperative with пожалуйста (“please”) is perfectly polite in Russian: Повторите, пожалуйста is what most people say at work. Не могли бы вы…? is the extra-formal step up.
Some verbs change with the speaker’s gender: a man says понял, расслышал; a woman says поняла, расслышала. The transliteration is simplified for reading aloud; ’ marks a soft sign.
When you did not hear it
Sorry, I didn’t catch that.
A sentence was lost to noise or crosstalk.
Извините, я не расслышал(а).
Izvinite, ya ne rasslyshal(a).
Polite
Could you repeat the last part?
You heard the start and lost the end.
Повторите, пожалуйста, последнюю фразу.
Povtorite, pozhaluysta, poslednyuyu frazu.
Polite
Could you speak a little louder?
The speaker is far from their microphone.
Говорите, пожалуйста, погромче.
Govorite, pozhaluysta, pogromche.
Polite
Could you speak more slowly, please?
The point is important and it came too fast.
Говорите, пожалуйста, помедленнее.
Govorite, pozhaluysta, pomedlenneye.
Polite
When you heard it but did not understand
I don’t understand.
Say it early rather than nodding along.
Я не понимаю. / Я не понял(а).
Ya ne ponimayu. / Ya ne ponyal(a).
Neutral
What does ___ mean?
An acronym, a product name or in-house jargon.
Что значит ___?
Chto znachit ___?
Neutral
Could you explain that another way?
A repeat in the same words would not help.
Объясните, пожалуйста, по-другому.
Ob”yasnite, pozhaluysta, po-drugomu.
Polite
So you mean that ___?
Check a decision back before you act on it.
Правильно ли я понимаю, что ___?
Pravil’no li ya ponimayu, chto ___?
Polite
When the connection is the problem
I can’t hear you.
The speaker’s sound is gone.
Вас не слышно.
Vas ne slyshno.
Neutral
Can you hear me?
Right after you join or unmute.
Меня слышно?
Menya slyshno?
Neutral
Your audio is breaking up.
Words drop out of the middle of sentences.
Вы пропадаете.
Vy propadayete.
Polite
I think you’re on mute.
Lips move, no sound.
Кажется, у вас выключен микрофон.
Kazhetsya, u vas vyklyuchen mikrofon.
Polite
Sorry, my connection dropped.
You rejoin after being cut off.
Извините, у меня пропала связь.
Izvinite, u menya propala svyaz’.
Polite
Can you see my screen?
You start sharing.
Вы видите мой экран?
Vy vidite moy ekran?
Polite To everyone: Всем виден мой экран? (Vsem viden moy ekran?)
Names, spelling and the chat
Sorry, could you tell me your name again?
Introductions went by too quickly.
Напомните, пожалуйста, как вас зовут.
Napomnite, pozhaluysta, kak vas zovut.
Polite Literally “Remind me, please, what your name is.”
How do you spell (write) that?
A name, an address or a term you will need later.
Как это пишется?
Kak eto pishetsya?
Neutral
Could you write it in the chat?
Numbers, links and names are safer in writing.
Напишите, пожалуйста, в чат.
Napishite, pozhaluysta, v chat.
Polite
Keeping the meeting moving
One moment, please.
You need a second to find something.
Одну минуту.
Odnu minutu.
Neutral Casual: Секунду (Sekundu).
Sorry to interrupt.
You need to step in before the topic moves on.
Извините, что перебиваю.
Izvinite, chto perebivayu.
Polite
Got it, thank you.
Close the loop after they repeat.
Понятно, спасибо.
Ponyatno, spasibo.
Neutral
Short replies to be careful with
- Что? (Chto?) — Blunt on its own.
- Простите? (Prostite?) — Not something to avoid — it is the polite short “Pardon?”.
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.
Вы пропадаете.
Vy propadayete.
Не могли бы вы повторить?
Ne mogli by vy povtorit’?
-
2. The next point comes too fast to follow.
Говорите, пожалуйста, помедленнее.
Govorite, pozhaluysta, pomedlenneye.
-
3. A new participant introduces themselves and you miss the name.
Напомните, пожалуйста, как вас зовут.
Napomnite, pozhaluysta, kak vas zovut.
Как это пишется?
Kak eto pishetsya?
-
4. They read out a number you need to get exactly right.
Напишите, пожалуйста, в чат.
Napishite, pozhaluysta, v chat.
Понятно, спасибо.
Ponyatno, spasibo.
If the whole meeting is in Russian
Phrases get you through a few missed sentences. When the entire call is in Russian 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 Russian, 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. More about calls between English and Russian: English ↔ Russian meeting translation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most polite way to say “Can you repeat that?” in Russian?+
Не могли бы вы повторить? (Ne mogli by vy povtorit’?) — The most formal version: “Could you possibly repeat?” With colleagues: Можешь повторить? (Mozhesh’ povtorit’?).
How do you say “Can you speak slower?” in Russian?+
Говорите, пожалуйста, помедленнее. (Govorite, pozhaluysta, pomedlenneye.) It is polite and fits a work call.
How do you say “I don’t understand” in Russian?+
Я не понимаю. / Я не понял(а). (Ya ne ponimayu. / Ya ne ponyal(a).)
Is “Что?” rude in Russian?+
Blunt on its own.
What if I still don’t understand after they repeat it in Russian?+
Ask for a different explanation — Объясните, пожалуйста, по-другому. (Ob”yasnite, pozhaluysta, po-drugomu.) — or ask them to put it in the chat: Напишите, пожалуйста, в чат. (Napishite, pozhaluysta, v chat.)