Request for repetition

To indicate that the speaker did not hear or understand what was said.

Noisy environments (e.g., crowded cafés), unclear speech due to accent or background noise, mishearing a word or phrase.

Everyday conversation, professional settings such as meetings or customer service interactions, any situation where clear communication is needed but hearing was imperfect.

Sorry, I didn't catch that.

Sorry, I didn't catch that.

catch → get (e.g., "I missed it"); that → the last part or phrase spoken (e.g., "Could you repeat the word?").

• could
• please
• repeat
• what
• again

• Pardon?
• Could you say that again?
• What did you just say?

Using 'I didn’t hear' instead of ‘catch’ can imply physical inability to listen rather than misunderstanding what’s being said.

Could you kindly repeat that? – more formal/polite version; Pardon? – less emphatic but still requests repetition.

'Catch' is idiomatic in English for hearing/understanding a spoken phrase, not physically catching an object. Learners from languages where the verb meaning differs may need explicit clarification.

• Mishearing phrases: I missed that
• Run that by me again
• Come again?

The expression conveys politeness and non‑demandingness, making it socially acceptable even when someone has misheard or missed part of the conversation.

Smooths communication breakdown by normalizing asking for repeats without appearing rude or demanding additional explanations.

didn't catch

This expression is commonly used in professional and casual settings to politely ask for clarification when something was not heard or understood.

What? → Pardon? → Sorry, I didn't catch that → Could you kindly repeat that?