Sorry I Didn’t Understand In Spanish | Say It Naturally

The most natural way is “Perdón, no entendí” or “Disculpa, no te entendí,” then ask “¿Puedes repetir, por favor?”

You don’t need perfect Spanish to handle this moment well. What matters is sounding polite, clear, and calm. Spanish has a few common phrases that native speakers use all the time, and the right choice depends on two things: who you’re speaking to and what went wrong—speed, noise, accent, or a new word.

This article gives you ready-to-use options, explains when each one fits, and shows simple follow-ups so you can keep the conversation moving without feeling awkward.

Sorry I Didn’t Understand In Spanish With Polite Options By Setting

If you want a safe default, start with a quick apology plus “I didn’t understand,” then ask for a repeat. These are the core building blocks:

• Perdón, no entendí. Neutral, works almost anywhere.
• Disculpa, no te entendí. Friendly, for someone you address as tú.
• Disculpe, no le entendí. More formal, for usted.
• ¿Puedes repetir, por favor? Clear request to repeat.
• ¿Me lo puedes decir más despacio? Ask for a slower pace.

In Spanish, “sorry” isn’t always the same word. Sometimes you’re apologizing for an inconvenience. Sometimes you’re just signaling “I didn’t catch that.” That’s why you’ll hear perdón, disculpa, and lo siento used in different moments.

Pick A Base Phrase First, Then Add One Fix

Think of it as a two-part sentence:

1. Signal: “Perdón” / “Disculpa” / “Disculpe”
2. Fix: repeat, slower, different words, or spelling

That structure keeps you from freezing. You can say the signal even if you’re still processing the rest of the sentence, then add the fix once you’re ready.

Fast Wins That Sound Native

Use these short add-ons to steer the conversation:

• ¿Cómo? Very common, means “What?” in a neutral way when said with a polite tone.
• ¿Perdón? Softer than “¿Cómo?” for many speakers.
• No escuché bien. “I didn’t hear well.” Great when noise is the real issue.
• No entendí esa parte. “I didn’t understand that part.” Helps when you caught some of it.

Polite Ways To Interrupt Mid-Sentence

Sometimes you get lost halfway through, and waiting until the end makes it harder. These lines let you pause the speaker without sounding sharp:

• Perdón, un segundo… buys you time and signals a pause.
• Perdón, ¿puedes repetir eso? points to the exact moment you missed.
• Disculpa, me perdí ahí. “I got lost there.” Friendly and honest.

If you can point to the last word you heard, do it. It’s a clean handoff back to the speaker: “Entendí ___, y después ya no.”

How These Apology Words Differ In Real Speech

Spanish gives you more than one “sorry,” and each one carries a slightly different feel.

Perdón

Perdón is the everyday “sorry” for small bumps in conversation. It can mean “excuse me,” “sorry,” or “pardon.” It’s short, light, and ideal when you just need the other person to repeat.

Disculpa, Disculpe, And Disculpar

Disculpa (tú) and disculpe (usted) are also common. They can sound a bit more deliberate than perdón, which can be useful in customer service, work calls, or when you want extra politeness. The Real Academia Española lists meanings and uses for “disculpa” in the DLE and the verb “disculpar”, which supports phrases like “Disculpe” and “Me disculpo.”

Lo Siento

Lo siento often carries more feeling than a simple “pardon.” Many speakers use it for real regret: bad news, mistakes, or something that truly affected the other person. If you say “Lo siento, no entendí” in a casual chat, it can still be fine. In some settings it may sound heavier than you meant. When in doubt, perdón keeps it lighter.

Ready Phrases You Can Copy Without Overthinking

Below are phrases you can use as-is. Swap te for le when you’re speaking formally, and keep the rest the same.

When You Missed The Whole Sentence

• Perdón, no entendí.
• Disculpa, no te entendí.
• Disculpe, no le entendí.
• ¿Puedes repetir, por favor?

When You Heard It, But It Was Too Fast

• ¿Me lo puedes decir más despacio, por favor?
• ¿Puedes hablar un poco más lento?
• Voy a pedirte que repitas, fue muy rápido.

When One Word Is The Problem

• No conozco esa palabra. ¿Qué significa?
• ¿Qué quiere decir “___”?
• ¿Cómo se escribe?

When You Need A Rephrase

• No lo entendí bien. ¿Me lo puedes decir de otra manera?
• ¿Me lo puedes explicar con otras palabras?

One detail: in Spanish, “entender” is the go-to verb for “to understand,” and the DLE entry for “entender” is a handy reference if you want to see how broad the verb can be.

What Not To Say When You’re Stuck

A few learner habits can make this moment clunkier than it needs to be:

• Don’t over-apologize. One “Perdón” is enough. Repeating “lo siento” over and over can feel heavy.
• Don’t blame the other person. Skip lines that sound like “You’re not speaking clearly.” Use “No escuché bien” or “Fue muy rápido.”
• Don’t switch forms mid-sentence. If you start with usted (“Disculpe”), keep the rest formal (“¿Podría…?”).

Pronunciation Notes That Prevent Repeat Requests

Getting the sounds close is often enough to be understood on the first try. Here are the spots that cause the most repeats for learners:

Perdón

Stress the second syllable: per-DÓN. The r is a single tap for many speakers, not the long rolled rr.

Entendí

Stress the final syllable: en-ten-DÍ. The accent mark tells you where the stress goes. A clear final “dee” sound helps.

Disculpe

Say dis-KOOL-peh. Keep it smooth. Over-punching each syllable can make it sound stiff.

Cómo

“¿Cómo?” is often about tone. Say it lightly, with a rising question sound. If it comes out flat and loud, it can feel sharp.

Phrase Picker Table For Common Situations

This table gives you a quick match between what happened and what to say next.

Situation	What To Say	What It Signals
You missed everything	Perdón, no entendí. ¿Puedes repetir?	Polite reset
You missed one part	No entendí esa parte. ¿Puedes repetirla?	You followed most of it
It was too fast	¿Me lo puedes decir más despacio?	Speed is the issue
Noise or bad connection	No escuché bien. ¿Cómo dijiste?	Audio problem, not Spanish
Unknown word	No conozco esa palabra. ¿Qué significa?	Vocabulary gap
You need a rephrase	¿Me lo puedes decir de otra manera?	Same meaning, new words
Formal setting	Disculpe, no le entendí. ¿Podría repetir?	Respectful tone
You want to confirm	A ver si entendí: ___, ¿cierto?	Check understanding

Tú, Usted, And The Tiny Words That Change Everything

Spanish politeness often lives in small grammar choices. If you get these right, you can sound respectful even with simple vocabulary.

Use “tú” With Friends And Peers

With tú, your sentence usually takes te:

• Disculpa, no te entendí.
• ¿Me lo puedes repetir?

Use “usted” With Strangers, Older Adults, Or Formal Roles

With usted, switch to le and more formal verb forms:

• Disculpe, no le entendí.
• ¿Podría repetirlo, por favor?

If You’re Unsure, Start Formal

If you don’t know the relationship yet, formal Spanish is a safe opening. Many people will invite you to switch: “Puedes tutearme,” “Háblame de tú.” Then you can relax into the informal forms.

Local Variations You’ll Hear And What They Mean

Spanish is spoken across many countries, so you’ll hear different preferences. The core phrases still work, but a few patterns can surprise learners.

Perdón vs. Mande

In parts of Mexico and Central America, you may hear ¿Mande? as a polite “Pardon?” It’s a request to repeat, not an order. You can answer with your usual phrase, or adopt it if you feel comfortable.

Voseo Forms Like “Disculpá”

In Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Central America, vos replaces tú, and the verb forms change. You might hear “Disculpá” instead of “Disculpa.” If you use tú forms, people will still understand you. If you copy local speech, keep it consistent with the rest of your sentence.

“No Te Entendí” vs. “No Le Entendí”

That little pronoun tells the listener who you’re addressing. It’s normal to hear both on the same street, depending on age and context.

What To Say On Phone Calls, Counters, And Work Chats

Some settings punish ambiguity. Background noise, speed, and missing context make misunderstandings more common. These scripts keep things clean.

On A Phone Call Or Video Meeting

• Perdón, se cortó un poco. No escuché bien.
• ¿Puedes repetir la última frase?
• ¿Puedes decirme el número otra vez, despacio?

At A Store Or Service Counter

• Perdón, no entendí. ¿Cuál es el total?
• ¿Me lo puede repetir, por favor?
• ¿Dónde firmo?

In Text Messages

• Perdón, no entendí lo de ___. ¿Me lo explicas?
• No me quedó claro. ¿Te refieres a ___?
• ¿Puedes escribirlo con otras palabras?

When You Need Spelling, Numbers, Or Dates

These are high-error moments, even for advanced speakers. Ask for spelling and pacing in one clean line:

• ¿Me lo puede deletrear, por favor?
• ¿Me lo repite número por número?
• ¿Es el quince o el cincuenta?

If you want a quick check on standard apology wording in Spanish, FundéuRAE has a practical note on how “pedir disculpas” and related phrases are used, with examples that match real writing and speech.

Scenario Table With Safe Replies And Follow-Ups

Use this when you want a one-glance set of replies you can drop into conversation.

Scenario	Reply	Follow-up
You caught the topic, missed the detail	No entendí el dato. ¿Cuál fue?	¿Puedes repetirlo despacio?
You didn’t hear the name	Perdón, no escuché el nombre.	¿Cómo se escribe?
You need a simpler version	No lo entendí bien.	¿Me lo dices con otras palabras?
You want to confirm meaning	Entonces, quieres decir que ___, ¿sí?	Perfecto, gracias.
You’re speaking formally	Disculpe, no le entendí.	¿Podría repetirlo, por favor?
You’re in a noisy place	Perdón, hay mucho ruido.	¿Puedes repetir?

Small Habits That Make You Sound Confident

The phrases matter, and your delivery matters too. These habits help you get repeats without sounding blunt.

Repeat Back One Piece You Did Catch

Even one word shows you were listening. Try: “Entendí ___, pero no el resto.” It invites a clearer repeat.

Ask For One Change At A Time

Pick one request: repeat, slower, or different words. Stacking requests can confuse the listener.

Use A Confirmation Line Before You Act

When the next step matters—an address, a time, a price—confirm: “A ver si entendí: ___, ¿correcto?” A quick check saves mistakes.

Know When To Switch To A Rephrase

If you’ve asked for a repeat twice and you’re still lost, go straight to a rephrase. It’s normal, and it often fixes the problem faster than hearing the same sentence again:

• Perdón, sigo sin entender. ¿Me lo dices de otra manera?
• Perdón, ¿me lo puedes explicar con otras palabras?

Mini Checklist You Can Save

• Start with: “Perdón” or “Disculpa/Disculpe.”
• Say what failed: “no entendí” or “no escuché bien.”
• Ask for one fix: repeat, slower, or rephrase.
• Confirm the detail you need before you move on.