New here? This is lesson 62 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
Say it a different way in Traditional Chinese
Breakfast on Banyan Lane is louder than usual. Maya hears Auntie Lin mention an egg pancake, but traffic outside covers the important part.
You already know how to ask someone to repeat a sentence or write it down.
Now learn to ask for different words or a louder voice, check which item someone means, and correct a misunderstanding without giving up on the conversation.
By the end of this lesson
Ask someone to rephrase or speak louder, identify what they mean, and clear up a misunderstanding.
- 可以換個說法嗎？Can you put it another way?
- 可以講大聲一點嗎？Can you speak a bit louder?
- 如果我說錯，請糾正我If I get it wrong, please correct me.
- 我不是這個意思That's not what I meant.
- 你說的是哪一個？Which one do you mean?
- 我只聽懂一部分I only understood part of it.
Scene — a noisy breakfast lane
At Banyan Breakfast, scooters passing outside drown out Auntie Lin's update about Maya's egg pancake.
A-Li sits nearby on his two stools, with his own pancake and an unfinished soy milk.
Maya wants to find out which order Auntie Lin is talking about, so she keeps the conversation going.
Learn — repair a conversation
These six lines help when repeating the same words is not enough. Ask for a new explanation or more volume, then say exactly which part you understood.
You can also invite a correction or clarify what you meant.
可以換個說法嗎？
Can you put it another way?
When to use it: Ask this when you heard the words but need a different explanation.
The word for one sits between changing and the way of saying it.
可以講大聲一點嗎？
Can you speak a bit louder?
When to use it: Ask this when background noise makes someone hard to hear.
The final phrase softens the request to just a bit louder.
如果我說錯，請糾正我
If I get it wrong, please correct me.
When to use it: Say this before trying to repeat what you think you heard.
Put the possible mistake first, then ask for a correction.
我不是這個意思
That's not what I meant.
When to use it: Use this when someone responds to a meaning you did not intend.
This corrects your intended meaning, not the other person's pronunciation.
你說的是哪一個？
Which one do you mean?
When to use it: Ask this when there are two possible items and you need to identify one.
The question word stays where the answer would go.
我只聽懂一部分
I only understood part of it.
When to use it: Say this when you caught some of what was said, but not all.
The word for understanding here means successfully understanding what you heard.
Story — whose egg pancake?
Listen as Maya tries to sort out an order over the noise from the lane. Auntie Lin speaks louder, then puts the same update in simpler words.
A-Li's pancake gives Maya one more thing to check.
Auntie Lin美女，你的蛋餅還要等一下喔。Your egg pancake needs a little more time.
Maya我沒聽清楚。可以講大聲一點嗎？I didn't catch that. Can you speak a bit louder?- Auntie Lin你的蛋餅還要等一下！Your egg pancake needs a little more time!
- Maya我只聽懂一部分。可以換個說法嗎？I only understood part of it. Can you put it another way?
- Auntie Lin你的蛋餅還沒好。Your egg pancake isn't ready yet.
- Maya你說的是哪一個？Which one do you mean?
- Auntie Lin你的蛋餅。阿犛的已經好了。Your egg pancake. A-Li's is already ready.
- Maya如果我說錯，請糾正我。阿犛的蛋餅還沒好？Correct me if I'm wrong: A-Li's pancake isn't ready?
- Auntie Lin不是，阿犛的已經好了。No, A-Li's is already ready.
- Maya我不是這個意思。我是問我的蛋餅。That's not what I meant. I was asking about my pancake.
- Auntie Lin對，你的還沒好。Right, yours isn't ready yet.
- Maya好喔，謝謝。Okay, thanks.
Practice — check what you heard
Work through short moments from a noisy breakfast order. Pay attention to whether Maya needs louder speech, different words, or confirmation about an item.
Use the earlier repair lines when they fit better.
0 of 9 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
可以換個說法嗎？
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Can you speak a bit louder?
可以講____一點嗎？
Build the line
Build the line
If I get it wrong, please correct me.
，
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Auntie Lin thinks you were asking about A-Li's soy milk. Clarify that she misunderstood your meaning.
我不是這個____
What do you say?
What do you say?
Auntie Lin mentions a pancake, but both yours and A-Li's are on her mind. Ask which one she means.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
A scooter passes just as Auntie Lin gives your order update. Say you did not catch it.
Pick the reply
Auntie Lin says:
Pick the reply
你的蛋餅還沒好，對嗎？
Your egg pancake isn't ready yet, right?
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
Which one do you mean?
？
Tap the words in order.
Say it — ask and clarify
Play Maya at the breakfast counter. Ask Auntie Lin for the kind of help you need, then check her meaning before answering.
Speak each line aloud. The lane is noisy, but you have more than one way to keep the conversation going.
- Auntie Lin美女，你的蛋餅還要等一下喔。Your egg pancake needs a little more time.
- Maya (you)The lane is noisy. Ask Auntie Lin to speak a bit louder.
The lane is noisy. Ask Auntie Lin to speak a bit louder.
可以講大聲一點嗎？
Can you speak a bit louder?
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 可以換個說法嗎？ | Can you put it another way? | |
| 可以講大聲一點嗎？ | Can you speak a bit louder? | |
| 如果我說錯，請糾正我 | If I get it wrong, please correct me. | |
| 我不是這個意思 | That's not what I meant. | |
| 你說的是哪一個？ | Which one do you mean? | |
| 我只聽懂一部分 | I only understood part of it. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these conversation-repair lines in Yak Cards for the next time a noisy place gets in the way.
Review the requests aloud so you can choose one quickly when you need it.
Open Yak Cards