I Do Not Understand — Say It More Slowly

How to use this card

1. Save it before you travel. Download the whole pack from /rescue-cards/ and it works offline — no app, no data plan.
2. Show the big Chinese line to whoever you are talking to. They read characters; the English at the bottom is for you.
3. Say it out loud too if they hesitate. A spoken request gets a faster answer than a silent card, and repeating it removes all doubt.
4. Read the English to understand the reply.

What they will likely say

• “对不起，我说得太快了。” — Sorry, I was speaking too fast.
• “你说什么？” — What did you say?
• “我说慢一点。” — Let me say that more slowly.
• “你会说英文吗？” — Do you speak English?

Pro tips

• Say 听不懂 (tīng bùdǒng) and then repeat the last two words you caught. It makes the other person slow down automatically, without this card.
• It is more effective on the phone than in person — a taxi driver slowing down for you is a very good use of a two-second delay.
• Numbers are where conversations break. Repeat digits one at a time, which is what 你说慢一点 makes people do naturally.

Related guides

• Full guide — background reading for this situation

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This card is one of the TravelHubChina phrase cards — bilingual, offline, and verified against how people actually talk in China rather than textbook grammar. The full set is free at travelhubchina.com/rescue-cards/.