Question
I’m traveling in Japan for a business meeting and I have limited Japanese proficiency. How do I politely say “I don’t understand, can you please repeat that slowly?” in Japanese?
Japango Editor Team
すみませんが、わかりません。もう一度（いちど）ゆっくり言（い）ってもらえますか。
Sumimasen ga, wakarimasen. Mo ichido yukkuri itte moraemasuka?
Excuse me, I don’t understand. Could you please say that again slowly?
This phrase is very useful when you have difficulty understanding spoken Japanese, especially when someone speaks too quickly. “Sumimasen ga” is a polite way to start a request, meaning “excuse me, but…”. “Wakarimasen” means “I don’t understand.” “Mo ichido” means “once more” or “again.” “Yukkuri” means “slowly,” and “itte moraemasuka” means “could you say it”.
Remembering this phrase will help you navigate conversations more comfortably during your business interactions in Japan.
