🇯🇵 Japanese phrases

How to Say "Please speak slowly" in Japanese

The SPAIKING TeamJuly 27, 2026
ゆっくり話してください
"Please speak slowly" in Japanese · say it like yook-kuri ha-na-shi-te-ku-da-sai

The most natural way to say "Please speak slowly" in Japanese is ゆっくり話してください. Tap the speaker above to hear it, then say it back out loud. That is the fastest way to make it stick.

Other ways to say it

もう少しゆっくり話してください
Use this when you want to ask someone to speak a bit slower.
スローで話してください
This is a more casual way to ask for slower speech.

When to use it

You can use this phrase when you are having difficulty understanding someone who is speaking too quickly. It is polite and shows that you want to engage in the conversation. It can be used in both formal and informal settings.

Say it out loud, get corrected

Reading it is not the same as saying it. Practice "Please speak slowly" and thousands more with an AI coach that listens.

Examples in Japanese

JapaneseEnglish
すみません、もう少しゆっくり話してください。Excuse me, please speak a bit slower.
Common mistake
A common mistake is to say 'ゆっくりして' which means 'take it easy' instead of asking someone to speak slowly.

The fastest way to remember it

Vocabulary you only read fades fast. Vocabulary you say out loud sticks. Hear ゆっくり話してください, repeat it a few times, then use it in a real sentence. SPAIKING lets you practice exactly that, speaking Japanese with a coach that corrects your pronunciation in real time. You can start with two free conversations.

Frequently asked questions

Is it rude to ask someone to speak slowly?

No, it is generally considered polite to ask someone to speak slowly if you are having trouble understanding.

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