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In Predator (1987), during the final fight scene, Dutch defeats the Predator, after hitting the Predator with a big rock, and then stops.

Then he asks the Predator,

"What the hell are you?"

Then the Predator replies, but it's not clear to me what was actually said.

Does anybody else know what it says?

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Predator was just mimicking back what he said. Just his way of taunting before he hit the self destruct.

Even Wikipedia synopsis describes it quite well:

As the creature lies dying, Dutch asks in disgust, "What the hell are you?". The alien simply repeats the question in garbled English before activating a self-destruct device, laughing maniacally as the countdown begins.

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  • 3
    I always thought it said 'I am what you are'
    – auburg
    Mar 7, 2018 at 13:33
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    I never considered it a taunt. I always thought the Predator could understand human language to an extent and it was a serious question back since this puny human had out predator'd him.
    – UnhandledExcepSean
    Mar 7, 2018 at 14:32
  • I always thought the Predator said "I am Hell...."
    – Phlegon_of_Tralles
    Mar 7, 2018 at 21:26
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    related: scifi.stackexchange.com/a/145751/68218
    – can-ned_food
    Mar 8, 2018 at 18:04
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After reading the script, I think the predator does ask "who the hell are you?' but I take it not just as mimicking, but as really asking the question. Asking Dutch:

  1. Who is it that can kill a predator
  2. Aren't they really both the same kind of creature, that is, a killing, hunting machine?
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  • I agree with this. If you listen to the fragment, you can hear that the Predator says, "what the hell are you?", stressing the final word.
    – SQB
    Mar 9, 2018 at 12:59
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In terms of audio it just seems like the predator repeats "what the hell are you?" back.

I've always taken it to be a sort of resigned snorting retort, not straight disrespect. Along the lines of "huh, how could I let one of YOU best me?"/"Are you different or did I done goof up?"

The '87 predator seemed to be a fairly juvenile sloppy hunter, relying more on the advanced gear and straight physical prowess. We'd make good blood for a new hunter but even with a gun I doubt humans are expected to be close to Xenomorph level prey.

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