How to tell my professor that I don't understand the class and that I want office hours?

You can explain anything to the people provided you really want them to understand. -The Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fanon

Fundamental facts relevant to knowledge, wisdom, and understanding

The instructor (or any environment) can only provide knowledge (raw data) of a particular subject matter.

Your have recognized that your wisdom (facts relevant to acquired and retained raw data) of the subject matter ceased to progress as of two weeks ago.

There are no guarantees that any individual will acquire general or specific understanding (ability to independently apply acquired and retained facts for practical purposes) of any subject matter.

Decide what your goal of taking the course is

• If your goal for taking the course is to simply pass the course, ask the instructor what the requirement is for passing the course. (The requirement for passing the course might not be understanding of the subject matter. Recitation of the subject matter as dictated by the instructor might suffice to pass the course.)

• If your goal is to continue acquiring wisdom of the subject matter, you cannot rely on a single source of instruction. (The instruction could be flawed, incomplete or patently false.)

• If your goal is for understanding of the subject matter, that is your responsibility alone. Neither the instructor nor the institution can determine your own capacity for application of a subject matter outside of the confines of the instructors supervision or the institutions' purview or mandate. (A degree is a piece of paper, and cannot verify actual understanding of anything.)

If your goal is to pass the course, ask the professor directly what is required to pass the course

It is irrelevant if your instructor becomes "upset" with you. The most important aspect of your inquiry is what your goal is for attending the class in the first instance.

You, your family, or some entity is paying for your education.

If your instructor is failing to provide your with education, due to any reason, then state precisely to the instructor. Place the onus on the instructor to modify their approach. You do not need to ask for a specific remedy - allow the instructor to provide the remedy for your failure to understand the course material over the previous two weeks. It is the instructor whom is supposedly teaching the course, not you. It is the instructors' professional responsibility to put forth greater effort to instruct you if their present approach has failed to provide you with the education required by them to pass their course.

If the instructor does not adjust their approach - as to your statement relaying your received education as of the present date - then you can take steps to change your instructor.

If your goal is to continue to attempting to gather wisdom as to the subject matter

You must do this for yourself; irrespective of any syllabus, instruction style of an instructor or institution, or passing or failing grade issued by an instructor.

If your goal is for understanding of the subject matter

Only you can verify your understanding of a subject matter by your application of knowledge and wisdom as to that subject matter.

It is possible that you can spontaneously acquire understanding of a subject matter beyond the knowledge and wisdom of an instructor. Simply stating that you have understanding of a subject matter is not adequate. You must be able to apply your knowledge and wisdom in a given environment.

However, since your inquiry is based on receiving instruction from your professor, that professor cannot adjust their approach as to your individual instruction if you do not advise them - directly - of their lack of delivering education to you.

It is incumbent upon the instructor and the institution as a whole to provide you with adequate instruction and training. It is not the instructor whom you should consider being "upset", but the question is whether or not you are "upset" that the instructor has failed to provide you with clear knowledge and wisdom of the subject matter to foster your ability to understand the course material.

Someone already has paid or is paying for your education; you do not owe them anything but your attention; make them earn their payment for your education.