STOP ASKING 'WHAT?' | Smart Ways to Say You Don’t Understand

TL;DR

Learn different formal and informal ways to politely ask someone to repeat information without causing offense.

Transcript

hey guys open agenda this is single marina what is your natural reaction to this what what what this is the way a lot of you ask people to repeat things you just say what or you say what I say would and depending on intonation people can get offended if you say what this is really impolite if you say what people would think you'll be surprised so t... Read More

Key Insights

• 😷 There are formal ways to ask someone to repeat information, such as using phrases like "pardon me" or "I beg your pardon."
• 😷 Politeness and maintaining the right intonation are important when asking for repetition to avoid offending someone.
• 🥡 Informal phrases like "what did you say?" or "huh" can be used with friends, but caution should be taken when using them with strangers.
• 😷 Slang phrases like "come again" and "pass that by me again" can also be used to ask someone to repeat information in a more casual setting.
• 😒 It's important to be culturally aware and use the appropriate phrases in the right context to avoid misunderstandings or offending others.
• 😑 Idioms can also be used when expressing a lack of understanding, such as "this is all Greek to me" or "I can't make heads or tails of what you're saying."

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some formal ways to ask someone to repeat information?

You can use phrases like "pardon me," "excuse me," or "I beg your pardon" to politely ask someone to repeat what they said.

Q: How can you ask for clarification on a word or expression?

If you come across a word or expression you don't understand, you can say "excuse me, I hear this word for the first time, could you explain what it means?" or "I'm not sure I understand, what do you mean by saying [word or expression]?"

Q: Are there informal ways to ask for repetition?

Yes, but it's important to maintain the right intonation. Informal phrases include "what did you say?" or "huh," but these should be used with friends rather than strangers to avoid potential misunderstandings.

Q: How can you politely ask someone to repeat information using slang phrases?

You can say phrases like "come again" or "pass that by me again" to ask someone to repeat what they said in a more casual manner.

Key Insights:

• There are formal ways to ask someone to repeat information, such as using phrases like "pardon me" or "I beg your pardon."
• Politeness and maintaining the right intonation are important when asking for repetition to avoid offending someone.
• Informal phrases like "what did you say?" or "huh" can be used with friends, but caution should be taken when using them with strangers.
• Slang phrases like "come again" and "pass that by me again" can also be used to ask someone to repeat information in a more casual setting.
• It's important to be culturally aware and use the appropriate phrases in the right context to avoid misunderstandings or offending others.
• Idioms can also be used when expressing a lack of understanding, such as "this is all Greek to me" or "I can't make heads or tails of what you're saying."
• Translating idiomatic expressions word-for-word may not make sense in other languages, so it's important to understand their meaning in context.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• There are several formal ways to ask someone to repeat information, such as saying "pardon me" or "excuse me."

• Phrases like "I didn't catch you, could you repeat that please?" or "I'm not sure I understand, can you explain?" can also be used.

• Informal ways to ask for repetition include saying "what did you say?" or "huh," but intonation is important to avoid misunderstandings.