How to Say I Don't Understand in Spanish, and What to Say Next
Say perdona, no entiendo (pehr-DOH-nah, noh en-TYEN-doh, sorry, I don't understand). Then ask ¿puedes repetirlo, por favor? (can you repeat that, please?) or ¿puedes hablar más despacio? (can you speak more slowly?). Below are 32 phrases in the order a conversation goes: you miss something, ask for a repeat, check the meaning, buy time, start a sentence, react, and leave.
Spanish Conversation Survival Phrases
Teaches the Spanish phrases that keep a conversation going when you get stuck: saying you don't understand, asking for a repeat, buying time and reacting. Spain forms come first, with the Latin American version noted where it differs.
32 cards with audio. Read them all free on the deck page.
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You miss what they said
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perdona, no entiendo. | pehr-DOH-nah, noh en-TYEN-doh | Sorry, I don't understand. Perdona is the everyday tú form in Spain. Perdón works with anyone, everywhere. No comprendo also exists but sounds more formal. | |
| Perdona, no te he entendido. | pehr-DOH-nah, noh teh eh en-ten-DEE-doh | Sorry, I didn't understand you. Casual, to someone you call tú. This is the Spain form. In Latin America people say Perdón, no te entendí. | |
| Lo siento, todavía estoy aprendiendo español. | loh SYEN-toh, toh-dah-BEE-ah es-TOY ah-pren-DYEN-doh es-pah-NYOL | I'm sorry, I'm still learning Spanish. Many people slow down and simplify once they hear this. |
Ask them to repeat or slow down
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿Puedes repetirlo, por favor? | PWEH-des reh-peh-TEER-loh, por fah-BOR | Can you repeat that, please? Casual, to a friend or someone your age. | |
| ¿Me lo puede repetir, por favor? | meh loh PWEH-deh reh-peh-TEER, por fah-BOR | Could you repeat that for me, please? Formal (usted), to a stranger, a shop worker or an older person. | |
| ¿Puedes hablar más despacio, por favor? | PWEH-des ah-BLAR mahs des-PAH-thyoh, por fah-BOR (des-PAH-syoh in Latin America) | Can you speak more slowly, please? Casual. To a stranger say ¿Puede hablar más despacio? In Latin America más lento is also common. | |
| ¿Cómo? | KOH-moh | Sorry? What? What a speaker says when they did not hear you. You can say it too. Normal and polite in Spain and most of Latin America. | |
| ¿Mande? | MAHN-deh | Pardon? What you will hear in Mexico when someone did not catch what you said. Polite, not rude. Mostly heard in Mexico. | |
| ¿Qué has dicho? | keh ahs DEE-choh | What did you say? A speaker in Spain says this when they missed your words. In Latin America you will hear ¿Qué dijiste? |
Check the meaning
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué significa esa palabra? | keh seeg-nee-FEE-kah EH-sah pah-LAH-brah | What does that word mean? Use it the moment one word stops you. | |
| ¿Cómo se dice esto en español? | KOH-moh seh DEE-theh EHS-toh en es-pah-NYOL (DEE-seh in Latin America) | How do you say this in Spanish? Point at the thing as you ask. | |
| ¿Quieres decir que no vienes mañana? | KYEH-res deh-THEER keh noh BYEH-nes mah-NYAH-nah | Do you mean you're not coming tomorrow? Use ¿Quieres decir que...? to check you understood. Many speakers start the same check with O sea, que... | |
| ¿Me lo puedes escribir? | meh loh PWEH-des es-kree-BEER | Can you write it down for me? Casual. To a stranger say ¿Me lo puede escribir? Useful for names, addresses and numbers. | |
| ¿Lo he dicho bien? | loh eh DEE-choh byen | Did I say that right? Spain form. In Latin America people say ¿Lo dije bien? | |
| Si digo algo mal, corrígeme, por favor. | see DEE-goh AHL-goh mahl, koh-RREE-heh-meh, por fah-BOR | If I say something wrong, correct me, please. Casual. Most people are happy to help when you ask. |
Buy time while you think
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| A ver | ah BEHR | Let's see. Buys a second while you think. Very common everywhere. Do not confuse it with haber, which sounds the same. | |
| Bueno | BWEH-noh | Well... As a filler it holds your turn while you think. Its normal meaning is good. In Mexico and Argentina este is also a common thinking sound. | |
| Pues | pwes | Well... So... A very common filler in Spain and Mexico at the start of an answer. | |
| O sea | oh SEH-ah | I mean. In other words. Use it to rephrase what you just said. | |
| No me sale la palabra. | noh meh SAH-leh lah pah-LAH-brah | The word won't come to me. Say it when you know a word but cannot remember it. Lo tengo en la punta de la lengua (it's on the tip of my tongue) also works. | |
| Es una cosa que sirve para abrir botellas. | es OO-nah KOH-sah keh SEER-beh PAH-rah ah-BREER boh-TEH-yahs | It's a thing you use to open bottles. Use Es una cosa que sirve para... to describe anything when you don't know its name. |
Start your sentence
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creo que es mejor ir en tren. | KREH-oh keh es meh-HOR eer en tren | I think it's better to go by train. Start any opinion with Creo que... (I think that...). | |
| Lo que pasa es que no tengo tiempo. | loh keh PAH-sah es keh noh TEN-goh TYEM-poh | The thing is, I don't have time. Lo que pasa es que... starts an explanation or an excuse. The short form is Es que... | |
| Resulta que el bar estaba cerrado. | reh-SOOL-tah keh el bar es-TAH-bah theh-RRAH-doh (seh-RRAH-doh in Latin America) | It turns out the bar was closed. Resulta que... moves a short story to the surprising part. |
React and keep it going
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿En serio? | en SEH-ryoh | Really? Shows you are listening and surprised. Works with anyone. | |
| ¡No me digas! | noh meh DEE-gahs | No way! You don't say! Casual reaction to news, good or bad. | |
| Claro | KLAH-roh | Of course. Sure. Shows you follow and agree. Claro que sí is the stronger form. | |
| Tienes razón. | TYEH-nes rah-THOHN (rah-SOHN in Latin America) | You're right. Casual. To someone you call usted say Tiene razón. | |
| No sé, yo no lo veo así. | noh seh, yoh noh loh BEH-oh ah-SEE | I don't know, I don't see it that way. A soft way to disagree without sounding rude. | |
| Volviendo a lo de antes, ¿vienes el sábado? | bol-BYEN-doh ah loh deh AHN-tes, BYEH-nes el SAH-bah-doh | Going back to what we said before, are you coming on Saturday? Use Volviendo a lo de antes... to return to an earlier point. |
Leave the conversation politely
| Spanish | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bueno, me tengo que ir. | BWEH-noh, meh TEN-goh keh eer | Well, I have to go. The usual polite way to end a chat. Starting with bueno signals the goodbye. | |
| Ha sido un placer hablar contigo. | ah SEE-doh oon plah-THEHR ah-BLAR kon-TEE-goh (plah-SEHR in Latin America) | It was a pleasure talking with you. Spain form. In Latin America people say Fue un placer hablar contigo. To someone you call usted, use con usted. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between no entiendo and no comprendo?
Both mean I don't understand. No entiendo is the one you hear most in everyday talk. No comprendo is correct but sounds more formal.
How do you ask someone to repeat in Spanish?
To a friend, say ¿Puedes repetirlo, por favor? To a stranger or an older person, say ¿Me lo puede repetir, por favor? In Mexico you will also hear ¿Mande? when someone did not catch what you said.
What do Spanish speakers say to buy time?
A ver, bueno, pues and o sea are the common fillers. They work like let's see, well and I mean in English. In Mexico and Argentina, este is also common.
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