Здравствуйте! Welcome to the fourth lesson in our course.
In our last session, you learned how to use key time expressions like у́тром (in the morning), днём (in the afternoon), and ве́чером (in the evening) to add structure and detail to your descriptions of your day.
Today, we're going to tackle a situation every language learner faces: not understanding what someone has said. It can feel awkward, but having the right phrases ready will give you the confidence to navigate these moments smoothly. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to ask someone to repeat themselves, speak more slowly, or explain what a word means. This is a crucial skill for turning a moment of confusion into a learning opportunity, especially in conversations with your husband's parents.
1. The Most Important Phrases: Repeat and Slow Down
When a native speaker talks at a natural pace, it can be easy to miss a word or a whole phrase. Your first line of defense is to politely ask them to repeat it or slow down.
The most direct way to ask for a repeat is:
- Повтори́те, пожа́луйста. (pa-vta-REE-tye, pa-ZHA-loos-ta) — "Repeat, please."
If the problem is speed, you can ask:
- Говори́те, пожа́луйста, поме́дленнее. (ga-va-REE-tye, pa-ZHA-loos-ta, pa-MYED-lyen-nyeye) — "Speak slower, please."
Notice the -те ending on Повтори́те and Говори́те. This makes the request formal and polite, which is perfect for speaking with your in-laws. If you were talking to a close friend or your husband, you would use the informal form: Повтори́ and Говори́.
The following video provides an excellent walkthrough of these phrases and a few more advanced options.
Never Be Lost in Conversation: 6 Russian "Repeat, Please" Phrases
The video 'Never Be Lost in Conversation' by Lina's Lessons clearly explains several key phrases for asking for repetition.
Watch the video from 01:04 to 03:35. The presenter will cover: Повторите, пожалуйста, помедленнее (Repeat, please, slower) - from 01:26. Вы говорите слишком быстро (You speak too fast) - from 02:52. Pay close attention to her explanation of the formal (Вы/-те) and informal (ты) versions.
2. Explaining the Problem: "I Don't Understand"
Sometimes, you need to be more specific. You might want to state that you don't understand, or ask what a particular word means.
Stating You Don't Understand
The simplest way to say this is:
- Прости́те, я вас не понима́ю. (pras-TEE-tye, ya vas nye pa-nee-MA-yoo) — "Sorry, I don't understand you."
You can also use the past tense to indicate that you didn't catch what was just said. Since you are female, you will use the feminine form of the verb:
- Прости́те, я вас не поняла́. (pras-TEE-tye, ya vas nye pa-nya-LA) — "Sorry, I didn't understand (what you just said)."
Asking "What Does That Mean?"
If you understand most of the sentence but get stuck on one word, you can ask for its meaning directly.
- Что э́то зна́чит? (SHTO EH-ta ZNA-cheet?) — "What does that mean?"
- You can also point to a word and ask: Что зна́чит [сло́во]? (SHTO ZNA-cheet [SLO-va]?) — "What does [word] mean?"
Let's return to the video to see how to phrase this, and then we'll look at a text resource that provides these phrases in a simple list.
Never Be Lost in Conversation: 6 Russian "Repeat, Please" Phrases
The same video also covers how to say you don't understand and how to ask about a specific word.
Now, watch from 03:35 to 05:56. The presenter explains: Простите, я вас не понимаю (Sorry, I don't understand you) and its past tense forms. Remember to use поняла́. Я не знаю, что значит это слово (I don't know what this word means).
For a quick reference, the article below lists some of these essential phrases. It's a great page to bookmark for review.
20 Useful Russian Phrases for Beginners
The article '20 Useful Russian Phrases for Beginners' from LinguaJunkie provides a handy list of phrases for clarification.
Scroll down to points #3, #7, and #8. You will find the phrases we've just discussed: Что значит...? (What does... mean?) Говорите, пожалуйста, медленнее. (Please speak slowly.) Вы не могли бы повторить? (Could you repeat, please?) — This is a slightly more polite version of 'Повторите, пожалуйста.'
3. Practice Scenario
Let's imagine you are talking with your mother-in-law. She says:
Свёкла для борща́ уже в холоди́льнике. (SvyO-kla dlya bar-SHCHA oo-ZHEH v ha-la-DEEL-nee-kye.)
"The beets for the borscht are already in the fridge."
You understand everything except the word свёкла (svyokla). How could you ask for clarification?
Here's one way the conversation could go:
- You: Прости́те, я не поняла́. Что зна́чит «свёкла»? (Sorry, I didn't understand. What does "svyokla" mean?)
- Mother-in-law: Это кра́сный о́вощ. По-англи́йски "beet". (It's a red vegetable. In English, "beet".)
- You: А, поня́тно! Спаси́бо. (Ah, I see! Thank you.)
See how smoothly that works? You identified the problem, asked for help, got the answer, and confirmed your understanding. This keeps the conversation moving forward.
Key Takeaways
Today you've added some essential tools to your conversational toolkit. Remember these four key phrases:
| Russian Phrase | Pronunciation | English Meaning | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Повтори́те, пожа́луйста. | pa-vta-REE-tye, pa-ZHA-loos-ta | Repeat, please. | When you missed what was said. |
| Говори́те поме́дленнее. | ga-va-REE-tye pa-MYED-lyen-nyeye | Speak more slowly. | When the pace is too fast. |
| Я не поняла́. | ya nye pa-nya-LA | I didn't understand. | When you didn't grasp the meaning. |
| Что э́то зна́чит? | SHTO EH-ta ZNA-cheet? | What does that mean? | When you hear an unknown word. |
Don't be afraid to use these phrases. Your in-laws will appreciate your effort to understand and engage with them.
In our next lesson, we'll learn how to keep a conversation going by using simple follow-up questions like А вы? ("And you?"), which will help you show interest in what others are saying.