Would it be rude to ask a Spanish speaking person to "slow down"?

Question

If I am listening to someone speaking in Spanish, would it be rude if I asked him/her to "slow down" while they are speaking?

Gracias! - Gillygaloo, Mar 22, 2011

I always follow this little rhyme of mine, "Be it rain or sleet or snow, be polite everywhere you go." - unotom, Mar 22, 2011

Answer 1

About as rude as asking an English speaker to: "please slow down." How do you feel about that?

I have no problem with a Spanish speaking person asking an English speaking person to slow down.. it works both ways IMO. But I wasn't sure of cultural differences. - Gillygaloo, Mar 22, 2011

It is good to be aware of cultural differences, no doubt, but good manners is good manners everywhere. :-) - Gekkosan, Mar 22, 2011

^ I second that motion - unotom, Mar 22, 2011

I don't think it's rude at all. It should be quite well understood, I adjust the rate I speak all the time for non-english speakers, especially if I don't know their language to better accomodate them. =) - DJ_Huero, Mar 22, 2011

Not rude at all! be polite and respectul and you will find people will have no problem! - pacofinkler, Mar 22, 2011

Answer 2

Sacaros de la cabeza el british "please" y usad más el verbo "poder" para pedir un favor y es que las traducciones literales a veces no funcionan:

"Habla despacio" o "Háblame más despacio" es un imperativo (aunque luego añadas"por favor") por lo que no es una forma correcta de pedir algo.

Es la expresión que usaría un policía que te detuviera en el aeropuerto de Madrid con dos kilos de cocaina. Por tanto no uses el imperativo salvo que seas una chica guapísima y digas con una sonrisa eso de "Bésame,tonto" o estés entre amigos.

Es bastante más educado decir:¿Puede hablar más despacio,por favor? o también:"¿Puede hablarme más despacio?Es que no hablo muy bien español.Es decir le explicas el motivo por el que le pides algo( y ahorrándote el "por favor")

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El uso de expresiones interrogativas encabezadas por el verbo "poder": es más educado en castellano que el uso de un imperativo más "por favor"(¿Puedes decirme...,podria decirme...¿Puede hablarme más despacio?¿Puedo comer otra manzana?¿) Traduce "slow down please" como :¿Puede hablar más despacio?Es que...(explicas el motivo de tu petición).

buena respuesta, al grano aparte de muy informativa. - Deanski, Mar 22, 2011

Gracias Deanski - lukaaxx, Mar 22, 2011

Answer 3

I don't think it would be rude, if you ask politely.

"Habla(s) despacio, por favor."

"Habla" es una forma imperativa ,una orden y salvo que hables con alguien de tu confianza,no es un forma educada de dirigirse a alguien,Dogwood. - lukaaxx, Mar 22, 2011

Answer 4

No, not at all. If said in the right tone, the proper way to ask someone to speaker slower so you can understand is, "¿Me puedes hablar más lentamente por favor?"

lentamente.. - Deanski, Mar 22, 2011

I always forget to switch it to lentamente instead of lentomente... jaja gracias compa - DJ_Huero, Mar 22, 2011

no hay de que. just remember that adverbs with -mente always take the feminine adjective.:) - Deanski, Mar 22, 2011

Hopefully I get better with that from now on. =) - DJ_Huero, Mar 22, 2011

Answer 5

This is a good question. When you consider that communication is so much more than what you say: i.e. words and is also about how you say it; tone of voice and body language if you can respectfully make the request in any language using an appropriate tone of voice and non-threatening body language then I cannot see how the majority of people could have any objection.There is always some possibilty that some individuals might object Sadly, that is life: there are difficult people in this world with whom we my must deal.

Only one condition: that you have a right to be part of that conversation which I am sure you would be. A person habitually listening-in to strangers'' converstions in a group or between two friends and 'then asking the person to slow down would probably be considered very rude and be told to shut up or where to go and rightfully so!

Nearly every time that I have asked a Spanish native to slow down I have received a positive reponse. I remember one occassion, though, when I was attempting to order a meal at a café e just off La Rambla in Barcelona and I was trying my best to order a meal in Spanish. The man must have been in his late 50's /early 60's and seemed only to have two modes of speaking: Spanish fluently at full speed or English and my request to slow down was met with a stoney silence then he changed to speaking English. I decided at that point to find somewhere else to lunch..as I wanted to practise my Spanish while odering my meal in a friendly atmosephere..and moved on He tried to persuade me otherwise but I had already moved on.

Generally speaking, from my limited experience of eating-out in Spain the younger generation have no problem speaking more slowly and many of the middle aged people do not either. Some older people will slow down . It all seems to depend on their experience of talking to foreigners and the manner in which you ask/approach them.

Answer 6

I was in Mexico on a mission trip, and I had to ask several people to slow down, I used the phrase "Habla despacio, por favor."

Answer 7

It would depend upon the situation. If it is a private conversation between the two of you then I think it would be okay. If it were a group discussion then it would depend upon if the others in the group were fluent spanish speakers or not.