If you miss something, you do not need to pretend that you understood. “Sorry?”, “Could you say that again?”, and “I didn’t catch that” are all natural—but they solve slightly different problems and fit different levels of formality.
A quick request in casual conversation
“Sorry?” is a short way to show that you did not hear or catch what someone said.
“I’ll meet you by the back entrance.”
“Sorry?”
“By the back entrance.”
Your voice matters. With a rising, questioning tone, “Sorry?” usually asks the person to repeat. With a falling tone after a mistake, “Sorry” is an apology. Context normally makes the difference clear.
“Sorry, what was that?” is still conversational but more explicit.
“The last train leaves at—”
“Sorry, what was that?”
“It leaves at eleven forty.”
This works well when noise or distraction caused you to miss a short piece of information.
A polite, flexible option
“Could you say that again?” fits casual and professional conversations. It is clear without sounding unusually formal.
“We’ll need the revised file before lunch.”
“Could you say that again? The connection cut out.”
“Could you repeat that?” has the same basic purpose. It can sound slightly more direct or formal, depending on delivery, but it is not rude.
“Your reference number is 60418.”
“Could you repeat that, please?”
Adding please is useful in a service interaction, though you do not need to add it to every small request among friends.
When you did not hear the words
“I didn’t catch that” means that the words did not reach you clearly enough to process them. It is common when someone spoke quietly, the line broke up, or another sound covered the sentence.
“The café is next to the—”
“I didn’t catch that last part.”
“Next to the pharmacy.”
Naming the missing part saves the speaker from repeating everything:
- “I didn’t catch the address.”
- “Sorry, I missed the last word.”
- “What time did you say?”
These are often more efficient than asking for the entire message again.
When you heard the words but did not understand
Hearing every sound does not guarantee that you understood the meaning. “I didn’t quite get that” often signals a comprehension problem.
“We’ll offset the delay in the next cycle.”
“Sorry, I didn’t quite get that. What do you mean by ‘offset’?”
The word “quite” softens the statement slightly. You can also ask directly for clarification:
“Could you explain what you mean?”
“Do you mean the deadline has moved?”
If one word is unfamiliar, ask about that word. Repeating the same sentence may not help if the problem is meaning rather than sound.
When the speaker is too fast
If speed is the problem, ask for a slower version instead of repeated versions at the same speed.
“Could you say that a little more slowly?”
“Sorry, could you slow down a little?”
“A little” makes the request feel measured. You are not criticizing the person’s English or asking them to change permanently; you are asking for help in this moment.
You can combine the request with a reason:
“Could you say that a little more slowly? I want to make sure I get the address right.”
Phrases that can cause confusion
Some learners translate a phrase from their first language word for word and produce something like “Repeat again” or “Return your words.” The listener may understand the intention, but these are not the usual requests in everyday English.
Use one complete natural request instead:
- “Could you repeat that?”
- “Could you say that again?”
- “Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”
Because repeat already means “say again,” “repeat again” is usually unnecessary. It can make sense if something has already been repeated and you need it one more time, but it should not be your default phrase.
Choose the request that identifies the problem
| What happened? | Useful request |
|---|---|
| You missed a quick sentence | “Sorry?” |
| Noise covered the words | “I didn’t catch that.” |
| You need the whole sentence again | “Could you say that again?” |
| You need one detail | “What time did you say?” |
| You heard it but did not understand | “I didn’t quite get that. What do you mean?” |
| The speaker is too fast | “Could you say that a little more slowly?” |
The best recovery phrase tells the other person what kind of help you need. That makes the conversation smoother than simply saying “What?” repeatedly—and it lets you stay in the conversation instead of guessing.