What do you do when someone is speaking to you and you can't...?

Question

understand them due to their thick accent?

this happens to me all the time, people talk to me and they have really thick foreign accents and it's really hard for me to understand

i don't want to tell them that i can't understand them cause that makes me feel bad

is their anything else i can do?

Answer 1

You're not alone. I ask them to repeat or to speak more slowly. I have said that I'm having trouble with their accent. They might have a hard time understanding me. I think as long as you are respectful then they shouldn't be offended. I haven't had any problems. If you don't understand then you don't understand. It's better to clear it up then just pretend. I try to listen harder and more closely. Sometimes it takes me a few seconds to get what they are saying based on what I'm hearing. So you may have to think about it more than you would otherwise. Connect the dots.  

Answer 2

No need to feel bad. If you simply can't understand...then you just can't understand. Asking them to repeat their self is better than storming off with an attitude.Some people with accents do get offended...and they're lead to believe you are doing it on purpose but what normal person has the time?

Answer 3

I had a Chinese chemistry professor for an organic chemistry class. This chick's accent was so heavy we couldnt understand a WORD she said. The class went like this: Teacher: caban mawacue, maka new compow...   Class: What???  Teacher: di-sufi bon at fif caban....  Class: Huh? Teacher: fi hunre miwwimo.....   Class: Write it down on the board!!  

Answer 4

Knowin my dumb ***, I'd probly ask them to write it down! lol! But seriously, I would, and if I still couldnt understand, Id ask them to please ask someone else.

Answer 5

You can ask them to please speak more slowly.  

Answer 6

i Just ask them to repeat cuz i dont understand no harm in that is there?

Edit: Then ask them to break down the words and sentances...so you can understand, also ask them to speak Very slowly! or use basic sign language...i.e pointing, thumbs up, thumbs down.....stuff like that....:)

Trust me ive been in your situation many times before...often being the one not being understood even tho ive got a clear british accent.

Answer 7

ask them to speak slower or just say your not from around town and the accent here is different from where u lived back home.. OR you can simply say that they have a nice accent and you wish you had one.. then simply ask them if they can repeat themselves a few times (they will surly understand then)