“Wie bitte?”
Pardon? / Excuse me?
Daily LifeGeneralA1
Literal Translation
Word for word: “How please?”
Pronunciation
/viː ˈbɪtə/
When to Use This Phrase
'Wie bitte?' is the polite way to ask someone to repeat themselves. Simply saying 'Was?' (What?) is considered impolite, much like in English.
Example Sentences
Wie bitte? Ich habe Sie nicht verstanden.
Pardon? I didn't understand you.
Wie bitte? Können Sie das wiederholen?
Excuse me? Can you repeat that?
Word Breakdown
Related Phrases
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