Every learner hits the moment when a relative speaks fast, uses a word you don't know, and waits for your answer. Many learners panic and switch to English, and the Malayalam conversation dies. Repair phrases are the small sentences that rescue a conversation: asking someone to repeat, slow down, explain a word, or give you a second to think. In this episode: • Asking for a repeat • Asking people to slow down • Asking what a word means • Asking how to say something • Buying time • An invented scene: appooppan talks fast • Language bridge • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: എന്താ പറഞ്ഞത്? (enthaa paranjathu?) = What did you say? എനിക്ക് മനസ്സിലായില്ല (enikku manassilaayilla) = I didn't understand. എനിക്ക് മനസ്സിലായി (enikku manassilaayi) = I understood. Got it. പതുക്കെ പറയാമോ? (pathukke parayaamo?) = Could you say it slowly? പതുക്കെ പറയൂ (pathukke parayoo) = Please speak slowly. ഒന്ന് പതുക്കെ (onnu pathukke) = A bit slower, please. അതിന്റെ അർത്ഥം എന്താ? (athinte artham enthaa?) = What does that mean? അർത്ഥം (artham) = meaning. ഇംഗ്ലീഷിൽ എന്താ പറയുക? (englishil enthaa parayuka?) = What is it in English? ഇങ്ങനെയാണോ പറയുന്നത്? (inganeyaano parayunnathu?) = Is this how you say it? ശരിയാണോ? (shariyaano?) = Is that right? ഒരു മിനിറ്റ് (oru minute) = One minute. ഒരു സെക്കൻഡ് (oru second) = Just a second. ഒന്ന് നിൽക്ക് (onnu nilkku) = Wait a second. Use it with family and friends. അത്... എന്താ പറയുക... (athu... enthaa parayuka...) = It's... what's the word... Learn Spoken Malayalam at Home: a complete course in everyday spoken Malayalam for English speakers. Native Malayalam pronunciation, every phrase in Malayalam script, Manglish and English, plus a language bridge comparing Malayalam with other world languages. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.