You know the moment: someone finishes a sentence, you missed one important detail, and your mouth offers the all-purpose I don't understand. The other person repeats everything, but you get lost in the same place again.
The more useful move is to say what kind of help you need. Did the words not reach you? Did you hear them but not understand one expression? Or do you simply want to check your interpretation? These seven phrases handle those different problems. Yes/no requests such as Could you...? and Do you mean...? can rise naturally; What do you mean by...? normally falls when it asks for new information. A calm, specific request matters more than adding three apologies.
When you didn't hear it: ask for the missing piece
- Sorry, I didn't catch the last part. Could you say that again, please? This points to the exact gap instead of declaring the entire conversation incomprehensible.
- Sorry, could you say that more slowly? Use this when the pace is the issue, not the vocabulary.
On a call, locate the gap even more precisely: Sorry, I lost you after "Thursday". Could you repeat the last bit? If the audio is dropping out, You're breaking up a little explains the problem without blaming the speaker's English.
When you heard it but didn't understand: change the explanation
- What do you mean by "flexible"? Name the word or phrase that needs unpacking. Does *flexible* refer to the date, the location, or the scope?
- Could you put that another way? This asks for different wording. Could you repeat that? may only bring you the same words at the same speed.
- Could you give me an example? An example often makes an abstract suggestion immediately usable. At work, Could you be more specific? is another useful option.
A short repair in action
A: We need a more flexible return policy.
B: Sorry, what do you mean by "flexible"?
A: I mean customers could return an item after 60 days instead of 30.
B: Got it. So we'd extend the return window?
The second speaker doesn't pretend to understand, but doesn't leave all the work to the other person either. Got it acknowledges the explanation, and the follow-up question checks the practical consequence.
When you think you understand: offer your version
- Do you mean we should wait until Friday? Add your concrete interpretation after the question.
- So, if I understand correctly, you want me to send the draft first? Particularly useful before you leave a meeting with a task.
A quick Yes can hide a misunderstanding until it becomes a missed deadline. Say the date, owner, amount, or sequence back. Once the other person confirms it, That's clear now. Thanks closes the repair and lets the conversation move on.
A one-minute speaking drill
- Say this twice, out loud: Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you say that again?
- Replace *again* with more slowly, then with in another way. Notice that each request solves a different problem.
- Imagine a colleague says, "Let's move the launch." Respond with Do you mean...? and add a real date from your own schedule.
MirrorSay turns this into a short mirror loop: say it your way, hear a more natural version, shadow it, and compare your rhythm word by word. The goal isn't to memorize every rescue phrase; it's to have two of them ready when your mind goes blank.
If the problem is finding your own word rather than understanding someone else's, continue with Forgot an English Word? Describe It and Keep Talking. For smoother delivery, try English Thought Groups: Where to Pause and What to Stress.
Further reading
- VOA Learning English: How to Ask for Clarification distinguishes repetition from clarification and models how to confirm your understanding.
- CUNY Baruch College: Requests for Clarification explains how rising pitch can request clarification or repetition, while falling pitch requests new information.
*MirrorSay is a free speaking-practice app: say a sentence, hear a more natural version, then shadow it and compare. No sign-up, and speech is processed on-device whenever possible.*