--- title: "Asking for what you need" description: "Get through a real exchange on a small stock of words: ask for something, ask a price or a direction, and say you did not follow and need it again. The phrases that keep an exchange alive matter more " canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/asking-for-what-you-need-mt_Dn4GKSRgKd source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/asking-for-what-you-need-mt_Dn4GKSRgKd.md retrieved: 2026-11-12 --- > **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants. > When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md > API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md > Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt > Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json > Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`. # Asking for what you need Get through a real exchange on a small stock of words: ask for something, ask a price or a direction, and say you did not follow and need it again. The phrases that keep an exchange alive matter more here than correct grammar. Subject: Languages · Area: Sounds & Conversation · Ages 9 to 11 Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/asking-for-what-you-need-mt_Dn4GKSRgKd ## Ready when they can - Ask for something they need in the new language and act on the answer - Say they did not understand and ask for repetition or slower speech - Keep going with a gesture or a simpler word when the exact word is missing ## Lesson: Ask for what you need You have practised short conversations. No hablo español means 'I do not speak Spanish'. No means not, hablo means I speak, and español means Spanish. This states your language ability; it does not ask someone to slow down. Je ne parle pas français means 'I do not speak French'. Je means I, parle means speak, and français means French. Ne and pas make this sentence negative. Learn the whole phrase; it is not a request for repetition. In Spanish, ¿Dónde está el baño? means 'Where is the toilet?' ¿Cuánto cuesta? means 'How much does it cost?' Agua, por favor means 'Water, please'. Por favor is a way to make a polite request, but it does not promise that someone can help. For pretend shopping, tres euros means 'three euros'. Hear a teacher say it and match it to 3 euros. Practise each amount together before paying. *(drawing: When you pay the amount you understood, you act on the reply. If the amount is unclear, check it before paying.)* No entiendo means 'I do not understand'. Más despacio, por favor means 'More slowly, please'. ¿Puede repetirlo, por favor? means 'Could you repeat it, please?' These are different from saying you do not speak Spanish. Ask again when the reply is unclear. If an object is there but you forget its name, you can point to it and use words you know. Or describe it with a simpler word. Check that the listener understood; gestures do not have the same meaning everywhere. If a request feels hard, practise a known phrase with a teacher or trusted adult first. Hear a model and try a small part. You can pause, ask for help or use a shared language when needed. An attempt does not guarantee help or instant progress. **Recap.** Choose a request, check the reply, and use clarification or supported practice when needed. *Original lesson, questions and flashcards written for this learning dataset.* ## Practice 8 questions on this page, each with its working shown. ## Needs first - [Listening and speaking in a new language](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/listening-and-speaking-in-a-new-language-mt_iXtqoIfjHb) ## Optional connections - [Asking Questions](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/asking-questions-mt_f8n4txtLej) - [Building a Word Bank That Sticks](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/building-a-word-bank-that-sticks-mt_gGV99k0ZpI) ## Opens up - [Word order and question forms](https://lightmysky.com/learn/languages/word-order-and-question-forms-mt_aY-pVRzyEz)