Got it / say again
Saying whether you understood, and asking for a repeat when you didn't.
wakatta
polite wakarimashitagot it, okay
分かった わかった 分かりました
Says you've understood, or agrees to a request or plan: the casual 'okay, will do'.
wakatta, ato de yaru yo.
Okay, I'll do it later.
分かった、後でやるよ。
wakarimashita, ato de yarimasu.
Understood, I'll do it later.
分かりました、後でやります。
As a question, 'wakatta?' checks that the other person understood.
Learn alongside: wakannai, nante?, mou ikkaiLearn first: wakaru
wakannai
polite wakarimasenI don't get it / know
分かんない わかんない 分かりません
Says you don't understand or don't know, so the other person rephrases or moves on.
gomen, chotto wakannai.
Sorry, I don't really get it.
ごめん、ちょっと分かんない。
sumimasen, chotto wakarimasen.
Sorry, I don't quite understand.
すみません、ちょっと分かりません。
For 'I don't know' about a fact, wakannai (polite wakarimasen) is the safer choice; shiranai (shirimasen), said flatly, can sound cold, like 'no idea, not my problem'. shiranai also means you've never heard of it.
Learn alongside: wakatta, nante?, mou ikkaiLearn first: wakaru
nante?
polite nante iimashita?what did you say?
何て？ なんて 何て言いました？
Asks someone to repeat what they just said when you missed the words.
gomen, ima nante?
Sorry, what did you just say?
ごめん、今何て？
sumimasen, ima nante iimashita?
Sorry, what did you just say?
すみません、今何て言いました？
A bare nante? can sound curt; 'e, nante?' is softer.
Learn alongside: wakatta, wakannai, mou ikkaiLearn first: nani
mou ikkai
polite mou ichidoone more time
もう一回 もういっかい もう一度
Asks for a replay of what was said, or proposes doing something again.
gomen, mou ikkai onegai.
Sorry, once more please.
ごめん、もう一回お願い。
sumimasen, mou ichido onegai shimasu.
Excuse me, could you say that once more?
すみません、もう一度お願いします。
Polite speech prefers mou ichido to mou ikkai.