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How to Say ‘Can you repeat, please?’ in French

Vous pouvez répéter, s'il vous plaît ?

voo poo-VAY ray-pay-TAY seel eel voo pleh

[voo poo-VAY ray-pay-TAY seel eel voo pleh]

🇫🇷 In France: Asking a teacher to repeat is completely normal in France. Using vous plus s'il vous plaît keeps it respectful.

Phrase Breakdown

Vous pouvez répéter,

voo poo-VAY ray-pay-TAY

Can you repeat,

Say 'voo poo-vay ray-pay-tay', then pause briefly at the comma.

Example

Vous pouvez répéter la question ?

Can you repeat the question?

Words in this phrase

Vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

pouvez

[poo-VAY]

can / may

Indicates permission or possibility.

Example

Vous pouvez annuler jusqu’à l’heure limite.

You can cancel until the deadline.

répéter

[ray-pay-TAY]

to repeat

Infinitive verb meaning to say or do again.

Example

Je dois répéter la phrase.

I have to repeat the sentence.

s'il vous plaît ?

seel eel voo pleh

please?

Say 'seel voo pleh', letting your voice rise slightly for the question.

Example

Plus lentement, s'il vous plaît ?

More slowly, please?

Words in this phrase

[seel]

Part of the fixed polite expression s'il vous plaît, literally if it pleases you.

Example

S'il vous plaît, confirmez la réservation.

Please confirm the reservation.

[eel]

In il y a, il does not refer to a person; it is part of the expression meaning “there is/there are.”

Example

Est-ce qu'il y a un parking sur place ?

Is there parking on site?

vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

plaît

[pleh]

pleases

From plaire, to please; part of the expression meaning please.

Example

S'il vous plaît, cela me plaît beaucoup.

Please, I like that very much.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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