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German lessons · Everyday German phrases · A1

Wie bitte? How to ask people to repeat in German — with confidence

At the Amt, at the doctor's, on the phone — have you ever not understood a word and just said "Ja, ja"? It gets awkward later when you hand in the wrong form or miss an appointment. People in Germany don't find it strange when you ask again. They tend to respect someone who checks carefully. Here are the phrases to ask again without feeling shy. With strangers, use Sie.

When you didn't understand

  • Wie bitte? — Pardon? Sorry, what did you say? The basic, polite way. People will usually just say it again.
  • Entschuldigung, das habe ich nicht verstanden. — Sorry, I didn't understand that. A little longer and more polite — good at a counter.
  • Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? — Could you repeat that, please? Or simply Noch einmal, bitte. (Once more, please.)
  • Könnten Sie bitte etwas langsamer sprechen? — Could you speak a bit more slowly, please? Könnten sounds softer than Können. Short version: Langsamer, bitte.
  • Ich lerne noch Deutsch. — I'm still learning German. Say this first and most people will speak more slowly and simply.

Asking about a word or its spelling

  • Was heißt „Frist"? / Was bedeutet das? — What does "Frist" mean? / What does that mean? For a single word you didn't know.
  • Wie schreibt man das? — How do you write that?
  • Können Sie das bitte buchstabieren? — Could you spell that, please? Essential for names and street names. Germans spell with words: A wie Anton, B wie Berta. The new standard from 2022 (DIN 5009) uses city names — A wie Aachen, B wie Berlin — and you will hear both.
  • Können Sie mir das bitte aufschreiben? — Could you write that down for me, please? Ask this for dates, times, addresses and document names, and you'll make fewer mistakes.

Checking that you got it right

  • Habe ich das richtig verstanden: Ich brauche noch ein Foto? — Did I get that right: I need one more photo? Repeat what you heard to check. The answer is Genau. (Exactly.) or Nein, …
  • Meinen Sie den 12. oder den 20.? — Do you mean the 12th or the 20th? Numbers are easy to mix up: zwölf and zwanzig, dreizehn and dreißig.

Short dialogue

On the phone with the property management (Hausverwaltung)

A: Der Techniker kommt am Mittwoch zwischen acht und zwölf. — The technician is coming on Wednesday between eight and twelve.

B: Entschuldigung, wie bitte? Könnten Sie etwas langsamer sprechen? — Sorry, pardon? Could you speak a bit more slowly?

A: Natürlich. Am Mittwoch, zwischen acht und zwölf Uhr. — Of course. On Wednesday, between eight and twelve o'clock.

B: Habe ich das richtig verstanden: am Mittwoch, den 4. November? — Did I get that right: Wednesday, 4 November?

A: Genau. Und wie ist Ihr Name, bitte? — Exactly. And what is your name, please?

B: Kim. Ich buchstabiere: K wie Kaufmann, I wie Ida, M wie Martha. — Kim. Let me spell it: K, I, M.

A: Danke, Frau Kim. Bis Mittwoch! — Thank you, Ms Kim. See you on Wednesday!

Watch out

  • A bare Was? can sound blunt. It's fine with friends, but with strangers Wie bitte? is better.
  • Hä? is only for very relaxed company — never at a counter or at work.
  • A single Bitte? also works; you'll hear it a lot in shops and cafés.
  • Don't say Ja if you didn't understand. In Germany that "yes" can count as agreeing.

Quick check

  1. Someone is speaking too fast. What do you say politely?
AnswerKönnten Sie bitte etwas langsamer sprechen? — or, short: Langsamer, bitte.
  1. You want to ask what the word "Kündigung" means.
AnswerWas heißt „Kündigung"? — or Was bedeutet „Kündigung"?
  1. Ask the clerk at the Amt to write it down for you.
AnswerKönnen Sie mir das bitte aufschreiben?
ExpressionsB1 Genau! Ich sehe das anders: agreeing and disagreeing in GermanGermans say what they think clearly, in meetings and among friends. How to agree with Genau and Da hast du recht, and how to disagree politely with Ich sehe das anders and Das stimmt nicht ganz, for every situation.
ExpressionsA2 Entschuldigung, Tut mir leid, Danke: saying sorry and thank you in GermanBumping into someone on the street and forgetting an appointment call for different apologies. The difference between Entschuldigung and Tut mir leid, and how to answer Danke with Gern geschehen or Kein Problem — German you'll use several times a day.
ExpressionsA2 Ich hätte gern zwei Brötchen: German for the bakery and the marketAt a German bakery you order out loud at the counter. Ordering with Ich hätte gern …, answering Sonst noch etwas? with Das wär's, and paying with Mit Karte, bitte — sentences you can use straight away at the bakery and the weekly market.
ExpressionsA2 Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren: formal German emails from the first line to the sign-offEmails to your landlord, the authorities, your insurance or a company follow a fixed pattern in German. Ready-to-use sentences for addressing the reader, explaining why you're writing, mentioning attachments, asking for something and signing off.