“Pardon? Asking for Repetition Like a K-Drama Star”
1. Introduction
Hello! I’m [Maeil Hangul], here to upgrade your Korean skills! 👋✨
Have you ever watched a K-Drama without subtitles or tuned into your favorite K-Pop idol’s live stream, only to miss a crucial word? Or perhaps you are taking a Korean class, and the teacher speaks just a little too fast?
Nowadays in Korea, with the global boom of K-Content, many learners are practicing “Shadowing” (repeating after audio). But before you can repeat, you have to hear it clearly! In today’s lesson, we will learn how to confidently ask “Can you say that again?” This is a survival skill for any Korean learner!
Let’s learn how to catch every word and keep the conversation going! 🎧📚
2. Key Expressions
Here are the 3 most useful expressions when you need someone to repeat themselves in a class or conversation.
1) 다시 말해 주세요.
- Pronunciation: [Dasi malhae juseyo]
- English Meaning: Please say it again.
- Detailed Explanation: This is the standard, polite way to ask someone to repeat what they said. You can use this with a teacher, a boss, or a stranger. It is very clear and respectful.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- While written as ‘mal-hae’, in natural speed, the ‘ㅎ(h)’ sound often becomes weak or silent between voiced sounds.
- So, it sounds more like [ma-rae] (마래).
- Try saying it smoothly: [Dasi marae juseyo]. It sounds much more natural than pronouncing the strong ‘H’!
2) 네?
- Pronunciation: [Ne?]
- English Meaning: Pardon? / What? / Yes?
- Detailed Explanation: You might know “Ne” means “Yes.” However, if you say it with a rising intonation (like a question), it means “Pardon?” or “I didn’t hear you.” It is the most common, quick reaction used by Koreans in daily life.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- The pitch is everything here!
- Falling pitch (↘): “Yes.” (Agreement)
- Rising pitch (↗): “Pardon?” (Asking for repetition)
- Make sure to raise your voice at the end to show you are surprised or missed the information!
3) 천천히 말해 주세요.
- Pronunciation: [Cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo]
- English Meaning: Please speak slowly.
- Detailed Explanation: Sometimes, repeating it at the same speed doesn’t help. Use this phrase when the speaker is too fast for you. It is a very polite request.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- The word ‘천천히’ (slowly) has a special pronunciation rule.
- The final ‘ㅎ(h)’ often becomes silent, and the ‘ㄴ(n)’ sound carries over.
- Instead of [cheon-cheon-hi], native speakers often pronounce it as [cheon-cheo-ni] (천처니). It makes your tongue much more relaxed!
3. Example Dialogue
Let’s see how these expressions are used in a real Korean class situation.
(Situation: The teacher is explaining the homework, but the student misses the page number.)
- Teacher: 숙제는 120페이지까지입니다. (Homework is up to page 120.)
- Student: 네? 잘 못 들었어요. (Pardon? I couldn’t hear you well.)
- Teacher: 아, 숙제는 120페이지예요. (Ah, the homework is page 120.)
- Student: 죄송하지만, 천천히 말해 주세요. (I’m sorry, but please speak slowly.)
- Teacher: 백-이-십 페이지요. (Page one-hundred-twenty.)
- Student: 감사합니다! (Thank you!)
4. Culture Tip & Trend Analysis
🧐 Did you know? The “Headphone Challenge” Trend!
If you watch popular Korean variety shows (like Running Man or Earth Arcade), you might have seen the “Whisper Challenge” (고요 속의 외침). Celebrities wear headphones with loud music and try to guess what the other person is saying by reading lips.
In these games, you will see them screaming “뭐라고요?!” (Mworagoyo? – What did you say?!) or “다시! 다시!” (Dasi! Dasi! – Again! Again!).
While “뭐라고요?” is okay between friends, in a classroom or formal setting, sticking to “다시 말해 주세요” (as we learned today) is much more polite and makes you look like a well-mannered student! Also, using “네?” with the right facial expression (slightly tilting your head) is the most “native-like” way to show you are listening but missed a beat.
5. Conclusion & Practice
Today, we learned how to ask for repetition so you never miss important information in class or conversation! Don’t be afraid to ask people to repeat; it shows you are interested in what they are saying.
📝 Mini Quiz:
Fill in the blank to complete the sentence!
“Teacher, please say it again.”
= 선생님, _______ 말해 주세요.
- 빨리 (Ppalli – Fast)
- 다시 (Dasi – Again)
Leave your answer in the comments below! 👇
If you enjoyed this lesson, please share it with your study buddies. See you in the next post!
Happy Learning! 🇰🇷❤️
