Asking Someone to Repeat or Explain

What you’ll learn

Keep a conversation going when you do not understand.

បន្តការសន្ទនាពេលមិនយល់ ដោយសុំឱ្យនិយាយម្ដងទៀត។

Situation and purpose

A communication problem is easier to solve when you identify it. Ask for repetition if you missed the words, slower speech if the pace is difficult, and an explanation if the meaning is unclear. Repeat an important detail back to confirm it rather than pretending to understand.

បើស្ដាប់មិនឮ សុំឱ្យនិយាយម្ដងទៀត។ បើលឿនពេក សុំឱ្យនិយាយយឺត។ បើមិនយល់ន័យ សុំឱ្យពន្យល់។ អាចនិយាយព័ត៌មានសំខាន់ឡើងវិញដើម្បីផ្ទៀងផ្ទាត់។

Useful expressions

Pattern	Example or form
Ask for repetition	Could you say that again, please?
Ask for slower speech	Could you speak more slowly?
Ask about meaning	What does that mean?
Confirm a detail	Did you say thirteen or thirty?

Examples

1. Sorry, I didn’t catch that.

   សុំទោស ខ្ញុំស្ដាប់មិនទាន់។

2. Could you repeat the last part?

   តើអ្នកអាចនិយាយផ្នែកចុងក្រោយម្ដងទៀតបានទេ?

3. What does platform mean?

   តើ platform មានន័យអ្វី?

4. So the class starts at six, right?

   ដូច្នេះថ្នាក់ចាប់ផ្ដើមម៉ោងប្រាំមួយ មែនទេ?

Model conversation

Dara: The bus leaves from platform thirteen.

Maly: Sorry, could you say the number again?

Dara: Thirteen. One-three.

Maly: Thank you. What does platform mean here?

Dara: It is the numbered place where you board.

Maly: I see. Platform thirteen. Thank you.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Could you to repeat it?	Could you repeat it?	Could takes a bare infinitive.
What means this word?	What does this word mean?	The direct question needs does and the base verb.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. You missed the final sentence. Ask for repetition.
2. You heard either 13 or 30. Ask for clarification.
3. Correct: Could you speak more slow?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Could you repeat the last sentence, please?

   Model answer: name the part you missed.

2. Did you say thirteen or thirty?

   Giving the alternatives makes the problem clear.

3. Could you speak more slowly?

   Slowly is the neutral adverb for this request.

Quick recap

• Ask for the help you need: repetition, slower speech, or meaning.
• Confirm important numbers and times.
• Understanding is more useful than pretending to understand.