Breakdown of Повторите это слово, пожалуйста.
этот
this [f: эта, n: это]
слово
word
пожалуйста
please
повторить
to repeat
Questions & Answers about Повторите это слово, пожалуйста.
Why does повторите end in -ите instead of -йте?
The ending depends on the dictionary form of the verb, повторить (to repeat). If you take off the ending to find the stem, it ends in the consonant р. For stems ending in a consonant, we add -ите for polite or plural commands. If the stem ended in a vowel, we would use -йте instead.
How would I say "repeat" to a close friend or family member?
You would just drop the -те and say Повтори это слово, пожалуйста. The -те at the end of повторите is what makes the command formal (polite) or plural (addressing multiple people).
Since "this word" is the direct object being acted upon, shouldn't это слово be in the accusative case?
It actually is in the accusative case! For neuter nouns like слово (and for inanimate masculine nouns), the accusative case looks exactly the same as the dictionary form. The matching pointing word это also stays exactly the same.
Does пожалуйста actually sound exactly how it is spelled?
Not quite! In everyday speech, Russians drop the й entirely and usually swallow the у. It sounds more like "pa-ZHAL-sta". Also, notice that the first о sounds like an "a" because the stress is on the second syllable.