можете ли / још једном / спорије

Repairing a Conversation

Level 2Sounds Like možete li; ǰoš ǰednom; sporiǰe

Use можете ли још једном? to ask someone to repeat something ("Could you once more?") and можете ли спорије? to ask them to slow down ("Could you more slowly?"). Both omit the main verb naturally and use polite Ви address.

How It Works

When speaking Serbian, conversations may move faster than you can process or words might get missed. In spoken discourse, you do not need to construct lengthy sentences like Можете ли да поновите још једном? Native speakers naturally drop the action verb and use polite modal ellipsis.

1. Form and Word Order
The phrase starts with the modal verb можете (from моћи), conjugated in the polite plural (учтиво Ви). Immediately following the verb is the interrogative enclitic ли. Because enclitics must occupy the second syntactic slot, ли attaches directly behind the fronted verb: Можете ли...

2. Requesting Repetition: Још једном
To request that someone say something again, combine the polite frame with још једном ("once more"):
• Можете ли још једном? = "Could you [say that] once more?"
Note that native speakers generally avoid saying Можете ли опет? here. While grammatically correct, опет is pragmatically dispreferred in conversational repair because it can sound blunt, impatient, or imply re-doing an action rather than simply repeating what was said.

3. Decelerating Pace: Спорије
To ask someone to slow down, use the comparative adverb спорије ("more slowly / slower"):
• Можете ли спорије? = "Could you [speak] slower?"
Do not use the base adverb споро; Serbian requires the comparative form because you are asking them to speak slower than their current speed.

4. Register and Politeness
Using можете maintains respectful social distance with strangers, officials, shopkeepers, and elders. If you are speaking informally to a close friend or peer, you can adapt the verb to the informal singular: Можеш ли још једном / спорије?

Examples (4)

  1. Извините, нисам вас чуо. Можете ли још једном?

    Excuse me, I didn't hear you. Could you [say that] once more?

    Word by Word: Excuse [me], not-am you heard. Can you once more?

    A natural way to handle missing what someone said in a public or polite setting.

  2. Не разумем баш све. Можете ли спорије, молим вас?

    I don't quite understand everything. Could you [speak] more slowly, please?

    Word by Word: Not understand quite everything. Can you slower, please you?

    Combines the request for deceleration with 'молим вас' (please) for extra politeness.

  3. Можете ли још једном да поновите ту реч?

    Could you repeat that word once more?

    Word by Word: Can you once more that repeat that word?

    Shows the full, non-elliptical version with 'да + present' (да поновите).

  4. Брзо причате. Можете ли мало спорије?

    You speak quickly. Could you [speak] a bit more slowly?

    Word by Word: Quickly you-speak. Can you a-bit slower?

    Adding 'мало' (a bit / a little) softens the request to slow down.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the base adverb 'споро' instead of the comparative 'спорије'.

    Можете ли споро?
    Можете ли спорије?

    When asking someone to adjust their speaking speed, Serbian requires the comparative adverb 'спорије' (more slowly) rather than the base positive form 'споро'.

  • Placing the interrogative particle 'ли' in the wrong position.

    Ли можете још једном?
    Можете ли још једном?

    The particle 'ли' is an enclitic and cannot stand at the absolute beginning of a sentence. It must directly follow the first stressed word—here, the verb 'можете'.

  • Using 'опет' instead of 'још једном' when asking for repetition.

    Можете ли опет?
    Можете ли још једном?

    In conversational repair, 'можете ли опет?' can sound impatient or blunt. 'Још једном' (once more / one more time) is the polite, standard phrasing.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

можете ли / још једном / споријеLevel 2Repairing a Conversation

Learn This First

To politely repair a conversation with phrases like 'Можете ли још једном?' or 'Можете ли спорије?', learners need to know how to form questions using the enclitic 'ли', understand polite 'Ви' address, and use modal requests with 'моћи'.

Words in This Pattern

моћилијошједномспор