How to Say “What?” Politely in Spanish: ¿Cómo?, ¿Qué?, and Better Options

Hi, I’m Kodak.

You are speaking Spanish and miss one word. Your first instinct may be to say:

The word is grammatically correct. However, a short ¿qué? can sound abrupt if the tone is sharp or the relationship is formal.

You may hear native speakers use another unexpected word:

How Do You Say “What?” Politely in Spanish?

The most polite choice is usually a complete request, especially with a stranger, teacher, customer, supervisor, or professional contact.

Does ¿Cómo? Mean “What Did You Say?”

Yes. When used alone with questioning intonation, ¿cómo? can signal that the listener did not understand or did not hear.

—La reunión empieza a las seis.
—¿Cómo?
—Que empieza a las seis.
— The meeting begins at six.
— Sorry?
— I said it begins at six.

The RAE defines cómo primarily as an interrogative adverb asking “in what manner.” In dialogue, the shortened response leaves an implied idea such as:

The short form is understood from context.

How to Pronounce ¿Cómo?

Use rising intonation when asking for repetition:

A softer voice generally sounds more polite than a loud, sharply stressed response.

Is ¿Qué? Rude in Spanish?

Qué is not inherently rude.

It is the normal interrogative word for “what”:

¿Qué quieres?
What do you want?

¿Qué pasó?
What happened?

When used alone, however, social interpretation depends on tone:

Therefore, the question is not simply “Is qué rude?” but:

• Who are you speaking to?
• What tone are you using?
• Are you asking for repetition or showing annoyance?
• Would a fuller phrase be more appropriate?

Qué vs. Cómo for Repetition

No one-word form is automatically polite in every tone. A complete sentence is safest when the stakes are high.

The Politeness Scale for Asking Someone to Repeat

Very Casual

Use mainly with close friends and family. The RAE notes that eh can signal that something was not understood, but it can sound quite casual.

Neutral and Common

Polite and Clear

More Formal

The last form is very polite and may sound more formal than necessary in an ordinary conversation.

What to Say When You Heard the Sound but Did Not Understand

Sometimes the problem is vocabulary or meaning, not volume.

These phrases are more useful than repeatedly asking the speaker to say the same unfamiliar sentence.

What to Say When the Person Is Speaking Too Fast

¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?
Could you speak more slowly, please?

¿Podría hablar un poco más despacio?
Could you speak a little more slowly?

Estoy aprendiendo español. ¿Puede hablar más despacio?
I’m learning Spanish. Could you speak more slowly?

This is clearer than only saying ¿cómo? several times.

How to Ask for One Specific Detail Again

You may not need the entire sentence repeated.

Targeted questions make the conversation faster and reduce misunderstanding.

Asking for Repetition on the Phone

Phone Conversation Example

What Do Mexicans Say Instead of ¿Qué?

In Mexico, ¿mande? is a traditional courtesy response when someone calls you or when you did not hear.

—¡Laura!
—¿Mande?
— Laura!
— Yes?

—La clase empieza a las diez.
—¿Mande?
— The class begins at ten.
— Pardon?

It often sounds more attentive than a bare ¿qué? in Mexican social contexts.

Qué, Que, Cómo, and Como: Accent Marks

Interrogative and exclamative forms carry an accent:

Unaccented que and como have other grammatical functions:

In informal digital writing accents may be omitted, but careful Spanish distinguishes them.

Natural Conversation Examples

Close Friends

A soft tone can make this normal between friends.

Teacher or Professional Contact

Clarifying Meaning

Mexican Family Context

Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake 1: Believing ¿Qué? Is Always Rude

It can be completely normal among friends. Tone and context determine whether it sounds abrupt.

Mistake 2: Believing ¿Cómo? Only Means “How”

As a short reply, it can request repetition.

Mistake 3: Repeating ¿Cómo? Many Times Without Explaining the Problem

Say whether the issue is speed, volume, vocabulary, or the phone connection.

Mistake 4: Forgetting Accent Marks

Use qué and cómo in questions.

Mistake 5: Using Mande Everywhere

It is especially Mexican. ¿Perdón? and full repetition requests travel more easily across regions.

Mistake 6: Asking for the Whole Sentence When Only One Detail Is Missing

Ask a targeted question such as ¿A qué hora dijo?

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say what in Spanish politely?

To request repetition politely, say ¿Perdón?, ¿Cómo?, ¿Podría repetirlo, por favor?, or ¿Me lo puede repetir? A bare ¿Qué? may sound abrupt depending on tone and relationship.

Can cómo mean what did you say?

Yes. Although cómo normally asks how or in what way, the standalone reply ¿Cómo? can request repetition and mean sorry? or what did you say?

Is qué rude in Spanish?

Qué is not inherently rude and is grammatically correct. However, a short, sharp ¿Qué? can sound abrupt when addressing strangers, elders, customers, or professional contacts.

What is the difference between qué and cómo when asking for repetition?

¿Qué? directly means what? and may be casual or abrupt. ¿Cómo? is a conventional request for repetition and often sounds softer, though intonation still matters.

What is the most polite way to ask someone to repeat?

Use a complete request such as ¿Podría repetirlo, por favor? or Perdón, no entendí. ¿Me lo puede repetir?

How do you ask someone to speak more slowly?

Say ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor? or ¿Podría hablar un poco más despacio?

What do Mexicans say instead of qué?

In Mexico, ¿Mande? is a traditional polite response when someone calls you or when you did not hear.

Do qué and cómo need accent marks?

Yes when they are interrogative or exclamative: ¿Qué? and ¿Cómo? The unaccented forms que and como have other grammatical functions.

Can I say qué cosa?

Qué cosa can ask what thing? or express surprise in some regions, but it is not the most neutral default for requesting repetition. ¿Perdón? or ¿Cómo? is safer.

What should I say on a phone call when I cannot hear?

Say ¿Perdón? No se oye bien. ¿Me lo puede repetir?, or Se está cortando. ¿Puede hablar más despacio?

How to Say “What?” Politely: Summary