Spanish Phrase
¿Puedes explicar un poco más ese punto?
Meaning
A polite request asking someone to clarify or elaborate on a specific point that has just been mentioned. The speaker is not demanding a full re‑explanation, just a little more detail.
When to use
Use this phrase in classrooms, meetings, or any discussion when you need a clearer understanding of an argument, a slide, or a statement that was just made. It works well in both formal and informal settings, but keep the tone friendly.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Puedesexplicarunpocomásesepunto?
Poder (puedes)
‘Puedes’ is the second‑person singular present indicative of poder, used to ask someone if they are able to do something.
Infinitive after poder
When poder is used to request an action, it is followed by an infinitive verb (explicar).
Quantifier ‘un poco más’
‘Un poco más’ literally means ‘a little more’ and softens the request, making it sound polite.
Demonstrative ‘ese’
‘Ese’ points to something the speaker and listener both know; it translates to ‘that’ (as opposed to ‘este’ = ‘this’).
Noun ‘punto’
In this context ‘punto’ means ‘point’ or ‘argument’ rather than a physical dot.
🗨In Conversation
¿Puedes explicar un poco más ese punto?
Can you explain that point a little more?
Claro, lo que quería decir es que la demanda aumentará en los próximos meses.
Sure, what I meant is that demand will increase in the coming months.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Puedes explicar más ese punto?
‘Más’ needs the quantifier ‘un poco’ before it; saying ‘¿Puedes explicar más ese punto?’ sounds abrupt.
¿Puedes explicar un poco más este punto?
‘Este’ points to something close to the speaker; here the point has already been mentioned, so ‘ese’ is more natural.
Explicar un poco más ese punto.
Avoid using the infinitive without ‘puedes’; ‘Explicar un poco más ese punto’ is a fragment, not a request.
↔Alternatives
¿Podrías ampliar ese punto?
Could you expand on that point?
¿Me podrías dar más detalles sobre ese punto?
Could you give me more details about that point?
¿Puedes profundizar un poco más en ese punto?
Can you go a little deeper into that point?
Cultural Tip
In Spanish, using ‘puedes’ is already courteous, but swapping it for the conditional ‘podrías’ adds an extra layer of politeness, especially in formal or professional contexts. Also, remember that ‘punto’ can refer to an argument, a topic, or a slide, so the phrase is versatile across academic, business, and everyday conversations.