New here? This is lesson 69 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
Say it a different way in Japanese
The fryer at Kenta's croquette stand on Yanaka Ginza is loud. Leo leans in, hears the fryer hiss like rain, and thinks of the old umbrella.
Kenta only said two pieces.
You will ask someone to say it another way, speak up, or slow down.
You will also check a word and fix a wrong meaning.
Keep it polite. A busy stall still gets the polite form.
By the end of this lesson
Ask someone to rephrase, speak up, or confirm a word.
- 違う言い方でお願いします。Could you put that another way?
- もう少し大きな声でお願いします。Could you speak up a little?
- もう少しゆっくりお願いします。A little slower, please.
- そういう意味じゃないです。That's not what I meant.
- 最後、何と言いましたか。What did you say at the end?
- この言葉で合っていますか。Is this the right word?
Scene — a loud fryer
Yanaka Ginza smells of oil and sesame. Kenta's croquette stand hisses. A cat watches from a step. Leo waits with his grey bag.
The fryer drowns Kenta's words. Leo thinks he hears rain, and the old black umbrella comes to mind.
Learn — another way to say it
These six lines help when a stall is loud or a word is unclear.
Ask for another way, more volume, or a slower line, then check the meaning.
違う言い方でお願いします。
Could you put that another way?
When to use it: Use this when you heard the words but need a simpler version.
で marks the method: in a different way of speaking.
Say it: The u in します is almost silent.
もう少し大きな声でお願いします。
Could you speak up a little?
When to use it: Use this when noise hides the other person's voice.
もう少し softens the ask: a little more volume, please.
Say it: もう has a long o; give it two beats.
もう少しゆっくりお願いします。
A little slower, please.
When to use it: Use this when the other person is speaking too fast.
ゆっくり needs no で before お願いします.
そういう意味じゃないです。
That's not what I meant.
When to use it: Use this when someone took your words the wrong way.
じゃないです politely denies the meaning they guessed.
Say it: The u in です is almost silent.
最後、何と言いましたか。
What did you say at the end?
When to use it: Use this when you missed only the last part.
と marks the quoted words you are asking about.
この言葉で合っていますか。
Is this the right word?
When to use it: Use this to check that a word you chose is right.
合っています here means the word matches, not an ongoing action.
Say it: Hold the small っ in 合っています before て.
Story — two, not rain
Leo orders croquettes, but the fryer is loud. A shop word sounds like rain to him, and he thinks of the umbrella. Kenta only said two.
Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- Oil pops in the fryer. Leo steps up to the counter.
Kentaレオさん、甘いの二個ね。Leo, two of the sweet ones, yeah?
Leoよく聞こえません。I can't hear you well.- Leoもう少し大きな声でお願いします。Could you speak up a little?
- Kenta leans over the fryer. A cat flicks its tail on the step.
- Kenta甘いの、二個！The sweet ones, two!
- In the hiss, the first word sounds like rain. Leo thinks of the old umbrella.
- Leo雨ですか。Rain?
- Kentaそういう意味じゃないです。That's not what I meant.
- Leo最後、何と言いましたか。What did you say at the end?
- Kenta最後は二個です。The last part was two.
- Leoもう少しゆっくりお願いします。A little slower, please.
- Kentaふたつです。Two.
- Leo違う言い方でお願いします。Could you put that another way?
- Kentaコロッケを二つですね。Two croquettes, then.
- Leoこの言葉で合っていますか。Is this the right word?
- Kentaはい、合っています。Yes, that matches.
- Leoふたつください。Two, please.
Practice — fix what you heard
Ten short tasks wait here. You will listen, fill a gap, build a line, and spot a slip.
Each one is small, so you move on quickly.
0 of 10 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
Japanese
違う言い方でお願いします。Drop the English hereもう少し大きな声でお願いします。Drop the English hereもう少しゆっくりお願いします。Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
Kenta used a hard phrase. You heard him, but you need simpler words.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
What did you say at the end?
最後、何____言いましたか。
Pick the reply
Kenta says:
Pick the reply
今の言葉は、雨という意味ですか。
Did the word you just used mean rain?
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
Is this the right word?
。
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
He is still too fast. You want a slower line.
もう少し____お願いします。
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
よく聞こえません。
True or false?
True or false?
This line orders two pieces of something.
Say it — your turn to speak
You are Leo at Kenta's stand. The fryer is loud. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.
- Kentaレオさん、コロッケいくつ？Leo, how many croquettes?
- Leo (you)The fryer is loud. Ask him to speak up a little.
The fryer is loud. Ask him to speak up a little.
もう少し大きな声でお願いします。
Could you speak up a little?
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 違う言い方でお願いします。 | Could you put that another way? | |
| もう少し大きな声でお願いします。 | Could you speak up a little? | |
| もう少しゆっくりお願いします。 | A little slower, please. | |
| そういう意味じゃないです。 | That's not what I meant. | |
| 最後、何と言いましたか。 | What did you say at the end? | |
| この言葉で合っていますか。 | Is this the right word? |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these repair lines in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.
A short Yak Cards round before a noisy stall keeps these asks ready.
Open Yak Cards