Portuguese Phrase
Desculpa, não entendi.
Meaning
A polite way to say ‘Sorry, I didn’t understand.’ It shows that you didn’t catch what was said and you’re asking the speaker to repeat or clarify.
When to use
Use this phrase in everyday conversation when you need clarification, after a fast‑spoken sentence, or when you’re in a noisy environment. It works in both informal and semi‑formal settings, though ‘Desculpe’ sounds a bit more formal.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Desculpa,nãoentendi.
Desculpa (imperative)
‘Desculpa’ is the informal imperative of ‘desculpar’, used to apologize; the formal version is ‘Desculpe’.
não (negation)
‘não’ precedes the verb to make the statement negative.
entendi (preterite)
‘entendi’ is the first‑person singular preterite of ‘entender’, meaning ‘I understood’.
🗨In Conversation
O próximo ônibus sai às oito e quinze da manhã.
The next bus leaves at eight fifteen in the morning.
Desculpa, não entendi.
Sorry, I didn’t understand.
✕Common Mistakes
Desculpa, não entendi.
In formal situations, use ‘Desculpe’ instead of the informal ‘Desculpa’.
Desculpa, nao entendi.
Missing the tilde changes ‘não’ (no) to ‘nao’, which is incorrect spelling.
Desculpa, não entende.
The verb must be in the past tense first‑person singular: ‘entendi’, not ‘entende’.
↔Alternatives
Desculpe, não entendi.
Sorry, I didn’t understand.
Com licença, não entendi.
Excuse me, I didn’t understand.
Perdão, não entendi.
Pardon, I didn’t understand.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘Desculpa’ is common among friends and peers, while ‘Desculpe’ is preferred in more formal contexts or when speaking to strangers. Both are acceptable, but using the correct level of formality helps you sound polite. Also, never forget the tilde on ‘não’; omitting it changes the meaning entirely.