Hebrew for Asking People to Speak Slowly

If you are learning Hebrew in Israel, one of the most useful survival phrases is פשוט: asking someone to speak more slowly. People often talk fast in shops, at work, on the phone, or in everyday conversations. You do not need a perfect sentence. A short, polite request is usually enough.

The main phrase

The most common way to say it is:

אפשר לאט יותר?

Can you speak more slowly?

This is short, natural, and useful in many situations. You may also hear:

תוכל/י לדבר לאט יותר?

This means Can you speak more slowly? and is a bit more direct because it includes “to speak.” If you are speaking to a man, use תוכל. To a woman, use תוכלי.

Very common everyday versions

Here are a few practical options:

• אפשר לאט יותר? — Can you speak more slowly?
• אפשר לדבר לאט יותר? — Can you speak more slowly? / Can we speak more slowly?
• יותר לאט, בבקשה. — More slowly, please.
• אני לא מבין/ה. אפשר לאט יותר? — I don’t understand. Can you speak more slowly?

If you want a phrase for when someone is speaking too fast and you need them to repeat part of what they said, it helps to know Hebrew for Asking Someone to Repeat Themselves too.

How to sound polite

In Hebrew, the word בבקשה helps a lot. It softens the request and makes it sound friendly.

For example:

• אפשר לאט יותר, בבקשה?
• תוכל לדבר לאט יותר, בבקשה?

You do not need to over-explain. A simple request is normal, and people are usually used to hearing it from learners.

What to say in real situations

In a shop

If the cashier speaks quickly:

אפשר לאט יותר, בבקשה?

If you still miss something, you can add:

אני לומד/ת עברית.

This means I’m learning Hebrew. It gives context and usually makes the other person more patient.

On the phone

Phone conversations are harder because you cannot rely on facial expressions or gestures. A useful line is:

אפשר לדבר לאט יותר? אני לא שומע/ת טוב.

This means Can you speak more slowly? I can’t hear well.

At work

In meetings or conversations with coworkers, you can keep it simple:

סליחה, אפשר לאט יותר?

Or:

אני עדיין לומד/ת עברית. אפשר לדבר לאט יותר?

If your workplace involves notes, instructions, or follow-up messages, it may also help to learn Hebrew for Saying You Don’t Understand at Work.

Useful words to notice

• לאט = slowly
• יותר = more
• לדבר = to speak
• אפשר = can / is it possible
• בבקשה = please
• סליחה = excuse me / sorry

These words appear in a lot of everyday Hebrew, so once you know them, you can build other survival phrases around them.

A simple pattern you can reuse

You can think of the phrase like this:

אפשר + action + לאט יותר?

Examples:

• אפשר לדבר לאט יותר?
• אפשר להסביר לאט יותר?

The second one means Can you explain more slowly? It is especially useful when someone is giving directions, instructions, or work information.

Good follow-up phrases

If the person slows down, but you still need help, try:

• תודה. — Thanks.
• אפשר שוב? — Again, please?
• מילה אחת, בבקשה. — One word, please.
• אפשר להסביר באנגלית? — Can you explain in English?

That last phrase can be helpful when you are completely stuck, but try using Hebrew first if you can.

Final tip

When you ask someone to speak slowly, keep your tone calm and simple. You do not need to apologize too much. In Israel, people often appreciate directness as long as you are polite.

If you want to practice this in more real-life conversation settings, Hebrew for Networking Events and Hebrew for Coworker Small Talk are good next steps.

The goal is not to understand everything perfectly. The goal is to keep the conversation moving. A short phrase like אפשר לאט יותר? can make a big difference.