Definition
A standard phraseology request used in radio communications to ask the other party to reduce their rate of speech. Used by both pilots and controllers when transmissions are being delivered too quickly to be copied accurately or read back correctly.
Plain English
A request asking the person on the other end of the radio to talk more slowly so you can understand and write down what they are saying.
Context Anchor
Used on the radio between pilots and air traffic controllers when a transmission is too fast to understand clearly.
Why Pilots Care
Rapid speech during clearances or instructions can cause missed details that affect routing, altitude, or separation, so requesting slower speech protects safety and prevents readback errors.
Intuition Check
Do not treat “Speak Slower” as a complaint or criticism. In radio use, it is a clear safety request: slow the message down so it can be understood correctly.
Example Sentence 1
"Approach, Cessna Three Four Bravo, speak slower please."
Example Sentence 2
When the departure clearance came too quickly, the student pilot transmitted 'speak slower' and received the information again at a readable pace.