Translation guide
The English word "repeat" covers several distinct actions: saying or doing something again, telling someone else what you heard, and experiencing a recurring event. Japanese uses different verbs and expressions for each meaning.
To perform an action or say something one more time.
General verb for repeating an action or statement. Can be used for both positive and negative repetition.
Please don't repeat the same mistake.
He repeated the same story many times.
Loanword from English, often used in casual or technical contexts (e.g., music, orders). Less formal than 繰り返す.
Repeat that last song again.
Literally 'to pile up', used for repeating actions or words in a layered sense, often in formal or literary contexts.
After repeated failures, he finally succeeded.
To tell someone else words that you heard from another person.
To repeat someone's words back to them, often in a confrontational or echoing manner. Can also mean 'to talk back'.
Can imply a negative or argumentative tone if used in certain contexts.
He repeated my words exactly back to me.
Used to quote what someone repeated. The quoted speech is marked with と.
To repeat aloud what someone has said, often for confirmation or memorization. Formal and somewhat technical.
For an event or situation to occur another time.
Passive form of 繰り返す, used when an event repeats itself or is repeated (often by an unspecified agent).
History repeats itself.
Similar accidents are being repeated.
Specifically for negative events like diseases, problems, or mistakes recurring. Often used in medical or formal contexts.
Colloquial term for a disease or bad condition returning after seeming to improve.
To show or play something again on TV, radio, or stage.
繰り返す is the standard, neutral verb for repeating an action or statement. リピートする is a loanword often used in casual speech or specific contexts like music playback, ordering food, or repeating a word in language learning. In formal writing, stick to 繰り返す.
In classroom settings, 'repeat after me' is usually expressed as 「後に続いて言ってください」 (あとにつづいていってください) or 「リピートしてください」. Using 繰り返す here can sound unnatural.
Could you repeat that?
Polite way to ask someone to say something again. Not a direct translation of 'repeat'.
She repeated, 'It's okay.'
Please repeat the boss's instructions.
Please be careful so that the illness doesn't recur.
My cold came back.
The audience demanded a repeat performance.