How to say “speak slowly” in Spanish
Habla más despacio
Pronunciation: AH-blah MAHS dehs-PAH-syoh · Syllables: HA-bla MÁS des-PA-cio
"Speak slowly" in Spanish is "habla más despacio" with friends (tú) or "hable más despacio" to strangers and older people (usted). Natives almost always add "más" ("more"), so the phrase literally means "speak more slowly." Learners often ask politely: "¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?"
How to pronounce “Habla más despacio”
- The h in 'habla' is always silent, so start the word with a clear 'ah' sound.
- In 'despacio', the ending '-cio' is one quick syllable that sounds like 'syoh', not 'see-oh'.
- Keep every s a crisp hiss, never a buzzing English z, and keep the vowels short and pure ('dehs', not 'dess-ay').
What it literally means
"Habla" is the tú command of "hablar" (to speak), and "despacio" means "slowly." "Despacio" comes from "de espacio," meaning "with space" or "taking room/time," so the idea is to speak with more space between your words.
Other ways to say it, from casual to formal
- Habla más lento.Speak slower. · casual, very common in Latin AmericaCasual
- ¿Me hablas más despacito?Can you talk to me a bit slower? · friendly and soft, with friendsCasual
- ¿Podrías hablar más despacio?Could you speak more slowly? · polite but friendly, with peersNeutral
- Más despacio, por favor.Slower, please. · quick, short request in any situationNeutral
- Hable más despacio, por favor.Speak more slowly, please. (formal) · with strangers, older people, officialsPolite
- ¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?Can you speak more slowly, please? · the safest polite request for travelersPolite
- ¿Le importaría hablar un poco más despacio?Would you mind speaking a little more slowly? · very polite, at work or formal settingsFormal
By country
- Hablá más despacio.Argentina / Uruguay · Uses the vos command 'hablá', with the stress on the last syllable, instead of 'habla'.
- Hablá más despacio, por favor.Central America · Vos is common in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua, alongside usted.
- ¿Me puedes hablar más despacito?Mexico · The diminutive 'despacito' sounds soft and friendly and is very common.
- Hablad más despacio.Spain · This is the vosotros command for speaking to a group of friends. Latin America uses 'hablen'.
In text messages
+ despacio porfa = slower plshabla + lento xfa = speak slower plsmás despacio plis = slower please
Example sentences
- Perdón, no entiendo. ¿Puede hablar más despacio?Sorry, I don't understand. Can you speak more slowly?
- Habla más despacio, por favor. Estoy aprendiendo español.Speak more slowly, please. I'm learning Spanish.
- Mi profesora siempre habla despacio en clase.My teacher always speaks slowly in class.
- Más despacio, por favor. ¿Cuál es la dirección?Slower, please. What's the address?
- Cuando hablas por teléfono, habla más lento para que te entiendan.When you talk on the phone, speak slower so they understand you.
- Si la gente habla más despacio, entiendo casi todo.If people speak more slowly, I understand almost everything.
Mini dialogue: Asking for directions
Disculpe, ¿dónde está la estación de tren?
Excuse me, where is the train station?
Siga derecho dos cuadras, gire a la izquierda y está al lado del banco.
Go straight two blocks, turn left, and it's next to the bank.
Perdón, ¿puede hablar más despacio, por favor?
Sorry, can you speak more slowly, please?
¡Claro! Derecho… dos cuadras… y a la izquierda.
Of course! Straight… two blocks… and to the left.
Ah, perfecto. ¡Muchas gracias!
Ah, perfect. Thank you very much!
How to reply
- ¡Claro! Perdón.Of course! Sorry.
- Sí, disculpa, hablo muy rápido.Yes, sorry, I talk very fast.
- Está bien, lo repito más despacio.Okay, I'll repeat it more slowly.
Grammar: Giving commands: habla (tú) vs. hable (usted)
To tell someone to do something, Spanish uses the imperative. For -ar verbs like 'hablar', the tú form is 'habla' and the usted form is 'hable'. 'Despacio' is an adverb, so it never changes for gender or number.
- Ana, habla más despacio, por favor.Ana, speak more slowly, please.
- Señor, hable más despacio, por favor.Sir, speak more slowly, please.
Common mistakes
✗ Hablas despacio, por favor.✓ Habla despacio, por favor.
'Hablas' means 'you speak' (a statement), while 'habla' is the command.
✗ Habla más lenta, por favor.✓ Habla más lento, por favor.
Used as an adverb here, 'lento' doesn't change to match a woman speaker.
✗ Habla lentamente, por favor.✓ Habla más despacio, por favor.
'Lentamente' is correct but sounds stiff in conversation, so natives say 'despacio' or 'lento'.
Culture tip
Native speakers are usually happy to slow down for learners, and asking with "por favor" plus a smile is completely normal. Many people will slow down for a sentence or two and then speed up again, so you may need to ask more than once. Don't worry about that. Speakers from places like the Caribbean, Chile or Andalusia talk fast and drop sounds, so you'll probably need this phrase most there.
Questions people ask
What's the formal way to say "speak slowly" in Spanish?
Say "Hable más despacio, por favor" or, even more politely, "¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?" Both use usted, which is right for strangers, older people and service staff.
What's the difference between "despacio" and "lento"?
Both mean slow or slowly. "Despacio" is the standard adverb everywhere. "Lento" is mainly an adjective, but "habla más lento" is very common in casual Latin American speech.
Does "despacio" have an accent mark?
No. "Despacio" is stressed on PA and needs no written accent. However, "más" (more) always has an accent, which separates it from "mas" (but).
How do you say "speak slowly" in Argentina?
Argentines use vos, so they say "hablá más despacio," with the stress on the last syllable. Everyone there will also understand "¿Puede hablar más despacio?"
