How to Ask for Clarification - Lesson Focus

Learn the key pattern to ask for clarification

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Lesson Transcript

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.

Do you remember how Adriano introduces himself?

"Hi! I'm Adriano. Nice to meet you."

Oi! Eu sou Adriano. Prazer.

First is Oi, "hi." Oi. Oi.

Note: Oi is an informal greeting in Portuguese.

Next is Eu sou Adriano. "I'm Adriano."

First is eu sou, "I'm." Eu sou. Eu sou.

Note: Sou is from the verb ser, "to be." Ser.

Next is the name, Adriano. Adriano. Adriano.

Note: Adriano only uses his given name. Sasha and Adriano are young adults in an informal situation, so he only uses his given name.

Finally is prazer, meaning "a pleasure." Prazer. Prazer.

This version can be used in many contexts and is appropriate for both informal and formal situations.

All together, it's Oi! Eu sou Adriano. Prazer. "Hi! I'm Adriano. Nice to meet you."

Oi! Eu sou Adriano. Prazer.

Sasha can't catch his name.

Do you remember how she asks,

"Can you repeat that, please?"

Você pode repetir, por favor?

First is você, meaning "you," in this context. Você. Você.

Note: in Brazilian Portuguese você is used when addressing someone in a casual conversation. In this conversation, Adriano and Sasha are of similar age, so the informal você is more natural.

Next is pode, meaning "can," as in you are able. Pode. Pode.

Pode is from the verb poder, "to be able to." Poder.

Next is repetir, "repeat." Repetir. Repetir.

Repetir is a verb, meaning "to repeat," in its infinitive form.

Together, você pode repetir literally means, "you can repeat," but in this context, it translates as, "can you repeat [that]?" Você pode repetir.

Note: [that] is added to the translation so that the English sounds more natural, but there is no corresponding word in the Portuguese question.

Last is por favor, "please." Por favor. Por favor.

All together, Você pode repetir, por favor? Literally, "You can repeat, please," but translates as "Can you repeat that, please?"

Você pode repetir, por favor?

Finally, do you remember how Adriano says,

"I'm Adriano."

Hint, you've heard it before.

Eu sou Adriano. "I'm Adriano."

Eu sou Adriano.

In this lesson, you learned how to ask for clarification in an informal situation:

Você pode repetir, por favor?

"Can you repeat that, please?"

To ask for clarification in a formal situation:

Poderia repetir, por favor?

"Could you repeat that, please?"

Poderia repetir, por favor?

Note the following changes in the formal form.

First, we omit você as it's an informal way of addressing someone.

Second, poderia, replaces pode.

Poderia, "could." Poderia. Poderia.

Poderia is from the verb poder, "to be able to." Poder.

All together, Poderia repetir, por favor?

"Could [you] repeat [that], please?"

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