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

Vous pouvez répéter, s'il vous plaît ?

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

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

🇫🇷 In France: Asking a colleague to repeat is completely normal in French meetings and won't make you look weak. Using vous keeps it polite with a manager or someone you don't know well.

Phrase Breakdown

Vous pouvez répéter,

voo poo-VAY ray-pay-TAY

Can you repeat,

The request itself. 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

Form of 'pouvoir' for 'vous'.

Example

Vous pouvez répéter ?

Can you repeat?

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 ?

s eel voo pleh

please?

Polite ending. Raise your voice at the end.

Example

L'addition, s'il vous plaît.

The bill, please.

Words in this phrase

[s]

Shortened form of 'si' before 'il', used in 's'il vous plaît'.

Example

Viens s'il fait beau.

Come if the weather is nice.

[eel]

it (impersonal)

Impersonal subject used with verbs like 'rester' meaning 'there is left'.

Example

Il reste du pain.

There is some bread left.

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 / is liked

From the verb 'plaire'; it means something is pleasing or appealing.

Example

Ça me plaît quand l'équipe est ouverte.

I like it when the team is open.

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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