Didn’t catch that? Ask for repetition and clarification in Portuguese A2

Short answer: identify the part you did not understand

Rather than only saying “Não percebo”, identify the problem: the time, a word or the next step. “Pode repetir a hora, por favor?” gives the other person a clear action. Then confirm the information in your own words. This sequence can keep an exchange moving even when some words are unfamiliar.

The CEFR places A2 within simple communication in routine, familiar tasks. These suggested strategies practise that kind of exchange. They are not an official speaking script, a CIPLE marking criterion or a promise that every real conversation will be easy to follow. Use them to ask a meaningful question rather than to hide a gap in understanding.

Repeat, slow down or say it another way?

These requests solve different problems. “Pode repetir, por favor?” asks for the message again. “Pode falar mais devagar?” helps when the pace makes speech difficult to follow. “Pode dizer de outra maneira?” requests a reformulation when hearing the same words again may not help. Match the request to the difficulty you actually encountered.

Practise with a specific detail: “Não percebi o nome da rua. Pode repetir?” or “Não conheço essa palavra. O que significa?” You do not need every expression in one long request. A short question leaves space to hear the reply and decide whether you can now continue the task.

Confirm a time or day before moving on

Confusing dezasseis and dezassete can change an appointment. After listening, return the information: “Então, é na quinta-feira às dezassete, certo?” If the speaker corrects you, repeat the corrected version rather than the original guess. Writing a number during a call may help, but an oral confirmation is still useful.

In the dialogue, the customer does not pretend to understand everything. They ask only for the missing detail and then confirm it. Change the day and time when practising with a partner. Avoid repeating the same sequence every time, because recognising the exercise order is different from understanding new information.

Ask for a name to be written or spelled

With names and addresses, asking for the written form may be more useful than several repetitions. “Pode escrever o nome?” works in person or by message. “Pode soletrar, por favor?” asks for the letters. Read the result back or check that you have noted it correctly before proceeding.

If spelling still causes difficulty, ask for one segment at a time: first the given name, then the surname. Use invented identities and addresses in our learning tasks. For a real enquiry, do not publish a recording containing personal information in a study group. Recreate the language difficulty with an invented word instead.

When you know the words but not the instruction

Sometimes you can translate every word and still do not know what to do. Ask about the next step: “Devo enviar o formulário por email ou entregá-lo aqui?” Offering alternatives makes the uncertainty clear. If the reply contains two actions, confirm their order with “primeiro” and “depois” instead of retaining only the last instruction.

The example clarifies the delivery method. Its fictional reply establishes no institution’s enrolment procedure. Change the object during practice: return a book, send a message or collect a ticket. This develops the purpose of the question without memorising a procedure that may not apply in a real situation.

Exercise with answers: choose the right request

Situation one: you heard “às…” but missed the number. One possible question is “Pode repetir a hora, por favor?” Situation two: you heard “adiado” but do not know its meaning. Try “O que significa adiado?” Asking for slower speech alone will not necessarily explain an unfamiliar word.

Situation three: you understand there is a form but do not know where to hand it in. Ask “Onde devo entregar o formulário?” Now change each situation and create your own reply. Several formulations can work. The goal is to identify uncertainty and obtain useful information, not to reproduce one exact sentence or collect an exam score.

Partner practice and your next exercise

Ask a partner to invent a timetable, an address and an instruction. Make a clarification request and end with a confirmation. Swap roles. When studying alone, record a question and then invent an alternative reply. This supports sentence building but cannot replace the unpredictability of a conversation with another person.

Open the course enquiry audio and choose one detail to confirm aloud before reading its explanation. Note whether the difficulty involved sound, vocabulary or the required action. That note can guide your next session. Our exercises are independent educational materials; they do not automatically assess interaction quality or reproduce an entire speaking examination.

Sources and scope of this guide

Official sources support the stated legal, language and certification facts. Plans, examples and checklists are independent editorial suggestions, not instructions from an authority.

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