25 Phrases for Clarification

Discover 25 phrases to use when you don’t understand someone. Share this with everyone you know who is studying English.

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I’m sorry, I don’t understand. 

What?  

I’m not sure I’m following. 

Miscommunications happen, especially in a foreign language. What are some good English phrases you can use when you don’t understand something? Today we’re going over 25 phenomenally useful English phrases you can use to ask for clarification. Either you didn’t understand the words someone said, a listening comprehension issue, or you understood the words but you don’t know what they mean.  

The most basic thing to say is “what?”, but you can level up politeness by adding I’m sorry. So, you can say either, I’m sorry, what? Or, What? I’m sorry.  

Perhaps Lieutenant Lamar could be of help.  

I’m, I’m sorry, what?  

You know your mother redid the hallway bathroom?  

What? I’m sorry, what?  

He’s scamming you.  

I know.  

I’m sorry, what?  

You remember how gangly he was?  

I’m sorry, what?  

He showed up with flowers and he apologized. So, thank you.  

I’m sorry, what?  

Or you can expand this with “What’d you say?” You’re asking someone to repeat themselves.  

My mom’s going through menopause too.  

What’d you say?  

Maybe next time, don’t overextend yourself.  

What’d you say?  

It’s their store now.  

What’d you say?  

Fix his own drink, I’m not a bartender.  

What’d you say?  

Can we play darts?  

What’d you say?  

You can also say, “What was that?” This means you didn’t understand all the words they said. Or “What was that last word?” Or last phrase? last idea?  

If you’re not sure how someone is using a word, you can say: What exactly does “…” mean to you? Or, what do you mean by “…” Insert the word you’re unsure of?  

They’re gonna have to take their chances.  

What does that mean exactly, take their chances?  

What does feminism mean to you?  

What exactly do you mean by “democratizing?”  

This store has definitely turned my life around.  

Yep! I’m off the hook now.  

What do you mean by that?  

You could say, “could you repeat that?” or “Would you repeat that please?” or maybe “Would you mind repeating that?” We use this one when we didn’t understand the words they said. Maybe they were speaking too quickly, or they used some vocabulary you don’t know.  

The question about NATO.  

Unfortunately, my Spanish is no longer as good. Can you repeat the question?  

He’s trying to kill me. 

Could you repeat that, please?  

Orange County Oceanic and Ornithological Organization.  

Counselor, you’re mumbling.  

Can you repeat that?  

Breaking and entering in a school to retrieve confidential and extremely personal files.  

Can you repeat that?  

Today we have spaghetti, linguini, fettuccini, ravioli, rigatoni, bucatini, lasagna.  

Could you repeat that?   

You can ask someone to elaborate. You understood the words they said, but you don’t know what they mean. To elaborate means to add more detail. So you could say, “Can you elaborate?” or, “I think I know what you mean, but please elaborate a little.” or, “Would you mind elaborating on that?” Notice we use the preposition ‘on’ with this verb. 

Ramon feels the phone is ‘stupid”.  

Could you elaborate, Ramon?   

He might change his mind. 

And that is exactly what I don’t want.  

Elaborate.  

It says here you were the CEO of Snap Time industries.  

Care to elaborate on that?  

It’s much more than that.  

Could you elaborate?  

The other end apparently shifts positions periodically.  

Elaborate!  

Another way to say ‘understand’ is ‘catch’.  

If you don’t know what they said, you can say, “I didn’t catch that.” or “Sorry, I didn’t catch all of that.” It’s just like saying, “could you repeat that, please?”  

Well, where do they make pancakes?  

I didn’t catch that.  

Can you tell us his name?  

Ahhh…hmmm… 

Nah. I didn’t catch it.  

And what your goals in your classes.  

We didn’t catch that.  

What changes can we make so that our political system serves us better?  

In your first sentence you said a word that I didn’t catch.  

Clear or clarity.  

I feel uncertain about what you said. Please help to make that clear for me.  

I’m not sure I understand. Please be more specific. Could you please clarify a bit?   

It’s a little bit confusing. So, please help me clarify if I mess this up a little bit.  

For the record, do you support a duty to intervene or not? Because that wasn’t clear to me.  

We need ot have more clarity on this.  

I’m confused about a couple of things and I just want you to clarify, one is that…   

Maybe someone is simply speaking too fast for you to catch all the words. It’s definitely appropriate to ask someone to slow down.  

I waited outside the diner for two hours for you to pick me up.  

Oh, oh, okay. Slow down, I don’t understand.  

Oh. Ho..ho..hold on! Slow down!  

Called fusiform gyrus which is analyzing the white..  

What? Slow down.  

What did you just say?   

A lot of people have been sort of saying, “Wait a minute. Slow down, what would be the effect?”  

You can also use the verb ‘follow’. This implies that you understood the words, but you don’t understand the meaning. 

“I’m not following.” or “I’m not sure I’m following you.”  

Joe reversed into his submission finisher, the Coquina Clutch.  

Okay, I, I’m not sure I follow.  

I’ve lost my train of thought.  

I’m not following.  

Now I’m seeing that same oddball thing in more than one person.  

I’m not following.  

They’re the fabric of the natural world.  

I’m still not following.  

I think I have to break up with Doctor Ron.  

Why?  

Apparently, he loves me.  

I’m sorry, I’m not following.   

Come again? This is another phrase that means “please repeat yourself.” You don’t know the words they said.  

Danny’s at his wedding.  

Come again? 

Feel as one Mrs. Burbank would feel for another Mrs. Burbank.  

Come again? 

Two men are coming to kill you.  

Come again?  

I don’t think she ever got over those…rumors.  

Come again?  

Then we should have killed each other.  

Come again?  

I don’t get it. Use this when you don’t understand the meaning of what someone is trying to say or explain. This signals they need to explain more.  

They’re charging a $50 late fee. I don’t get it, I thought you paid on time.  

You’re a nice-looking man and all. But seriously? I don’t get it! 

You created the super majority?  

I don’t get it!  

I don’t get it! 

I don’t get it! 

Tangent X.  

Dad!!  

Someone poisoned Emilio before he got into the trunk.  

I don’t get it!  

Hey! That’s it!  

What? I don’t get it.  

Me neither.  

Or you can say What do you mean? What do you mean you quit your job? I thought you loved working there!   

That’s actually Josh’s record.  

What do you mean?  

The man’s a mercenary.  

What do you mean?  

So when are you going back?  

Actually, I’m…I’m not.  

What do you mean?  

She thinks we just fell off the turnip truck.  

What do you mean?  

She doesn’t want to see you today.  

What do you mean?
 

Explain. To make plain or clear, to make known in detail.  You could say, “Explain that.” or “Could you please explain a bit more?” or “Could you explain that in a different way?” or “It’d help me if you would explain that, please.  

Explain the verb, and “Explanation” the noun. You can say, “Explanation, please.” or “I’m going to need another or more explanation.”  

The guy without a daddy is the one with daddy issues.  

Explain that logic!    

Positive. I just saw him leave about five minutes ago.  

Explanation, Mr. Paris.  

I think it’s the same, Mike.  

What! Can you explain that to me, please?  

I want an explanation Hogan, and I want it now!  

Suddenly changed her mind about the whole thing.  

No explanation?  

Okay you three, let’s see you petrify.    

Sir, would you mind explaining that statement, please?
 

Ok, now someone has just told you something, and you understood the words, but you don’t get what they were thinking or why they said what they said. You could say, “That doesn’t make sense to me.” For example,  

I’m dreading this test.  

That doesn’t make sense!  

You’ve studied hard and you understand all the material. This can then prompt the person to explain more. “Yeah, but I have a lot of anxiety about tests.”  

In Sheldon’s spot.  

That doesn’t make sense. Sheldon doesn’t have a spot.  

Word on the street is, someone’s selling off a block of this stock.  

That doesn’t make sense.   

He could be after the VP nomination.  

That doesn’t make sense though.  

And forever am at work here.  

That doesn’t make any sense.  

If Barney sets foot on Fred’s property,  

He’ll cool him.  

That doesn’t make sense.  

This next one you can use if you don’t understand but also if you just forgot:  

“Tell me that again.” or “Tell one more time.” or “Could you tell me again, just a little slower, please?”  

Just asking, Jay.  

Well, tell me again.  

It is not Sharia Law.  

Yeah yeah yeah.  

Tell me again, but slower.  

In your head, was that an answer to my question?  

Tell me the question again?  

You didn’t understand me the first time?  

Tell me again.  

Yeah, I got it.  

Tell me one more time.  

If you don’t understand the meaning of what someone is saying, you could ask:  

“Another way of saying that would be?” or if you didn’t catch the words someone said, you can say “Say that again, please?”  

Enough in the fight against terrorism.  

I’m sorry, the masks always make it hard to hear people in the way back. Can you say that one more time?  

Lungs, kidneys and brain. Stopped working.  

Another way of saying that would be…?  

They didn’t bring us here to change the past.  

Say that again.  

Is that now Coalition policy?  

Uh, I’m sorry. Can you say that on more time?  

When you don’t understand someone’s meaning, you can say, “In other words?”   

You can leave it at that, asking them to explain it a different way. Or you could guess their meaning: In other words, you think this is a bad idea.  

So, in other words, I’m rolling out this way.  

Does it get very heated?  

How does that work?  

You know, taking cases, in other words?  

We pay up premiums on these swaps   

 Till the mortgages fail?  

In other words, we lose millions.  

Maybe that is what’s moving you.  

So it’s a routine of hope, in other words.  

And from there it goes right downhill.  

In other words, you’re not interested.  

You can also say, “Help me understand ____.”. “Help me understand what you’re saying, or help me understand what you mean, or just help me out here.  

What you and your brother stole from all four banks.  

Help me understand that.  

I don’t understand… 

Help me understand.  

It’s going to be really hard to fill her shoes.  

Yeah. Help me out here.  

Eat..walk.. 

Help me understand.  

It can’t be true.  

Anything to help me understand.  

Hear.  

I hear what you’re saying.  

Let me tell you what I think you mean.  

Stanley has to go. That’s final.  

So I’m hearing you says is.  

I need to look like I… 

I don’t have money. 

What I’m hearing you say.  

I just don’t think I can take another second of you whining.  

Now let me make sure I’m hearing this right. 

I got school.  

So, skip it.  

 How often do you get to spend the day with your grandfather?  

Wait a minute.  Did I hear you right?  

You’re telling me to skip school?   

You hearing me?  

Yeah, I’m hearing you.   

If you don’t follow the meaning, you can ask for an example, or another example.   

She has abilities.  

Can you give us an example?  

It’s very different than that.  

Different in what way? Give us an example.  

It’s also about synchronicity.  

Can you give us an example?  

Talk things through more.  

Give me an example.  

You can also ask someone to paraphrase something. This is another way to ask them to use different words for clarity. This is like asking someone to explain something a different way. This is great to use when someone has used vocabulary words that you don’t know or don’t understand.  

Can we read it?  

No.  

Can you paraphrase it for us? 

The first question has to do with, if I could paraphrase you.  

Not about us, but suddenly you’re talking about options.  

Don’t paraphrase what I said.  

That’s a very, very good question.   

If you could paraphrase. 

Please take her out.  

But you threatened to bury me in the woods.  

You did what??  

He’s paraphrasing.
 

You can ask someone to verify your understanding. You want to confirm you understood them.  

Can you verify my understanding here?  

Let’s just go through this together because a couple things I need some verification on.  

So they’d really want some verification of the information.  

When you just don’t understand, you can say, “I don’t get it” or, “I’m not getting it.” This will prompt them to explain further.  

One continuous loop.  

I don’t get it.  

I don’t get it.  

I don’t get it.  

This isn’t over.  

I…I don’t get it.  

That’s what she said.  

Ha!  

I don’t get it.  

Give yourself the old low five.  

I’m not getting it.  

You could also say, “Could you help me put two and two together?”  

Use this when there’s a conclusion you don’t understand. You don’t understand a situation, how one thing leads to another. These examples are of people talking about putting two and two together, realizing something, understanding it  

He saw that notice and, putting two and two together, guessed the truth.  

He didn’t say that in so many words, but I’m putting two and two together here.  

I put two and two together and thought the “L” stood for Larry.  

You put together your two and two even quicker than I put together my two and two.  

The same homicide unit that can’t put two and two together and pick up a phone.  

Sometimes, you may have an idea about what was said but you need time to contemplate and fully understand its meaning.  

I need some time to think about that.  

It’ll take a few moments to process this.  

Synonyms absorb, digest.  

Wow! That was very hard to hear. So many negative words.  

I just need to process this.  

They died being helpful.  

You look stricken, Deputy Inspector. Are you absorbing my meaning here?  

And I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.  

It’s quite alright.  

I suppose I’ll need some time to think.  

It’s ours.  

I need a minute to process this. 

We could maybe even use some of the proceeds to, you know, fund my new record label.  

Alright, let me contemplate.  

Bonus!  

Now, here’s a phrase you can use if you want to make sure someone understands you:  Are you with me?   

That’s it. That’s my eggs done.  

Are you with me?  

I’m trying to read the signs here. Are you with me?  

The processes is literally there. Are you with me?  

Are you with me still? Let’s keep going.  

The key to healing many diseases. Are you with me this far?  

Are you with me? Have you got all that? What a long list of phrases you can use if someone is talking too quickly, using vocabulary you don’t know, or explaining something in a way that doesn’t make sense to you.  Keep your learning going now with this video and don’t forget to subscribe with notifications on. I love being your English teacher. That’s it and thanks so much for using Rachel’s English.  

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