understand

entender

comprender

understand(uhn-duhr-stahnd)

transitive verb

1. (to comprehend)

a. entender

He lived in Paris for three years and still doesn't understand a word of French.

Vivió en París tres años y aún no entiende ni una palabra de francés.

b. comprender

My fifteen-year-old daughter can understand even the most complex math problems.

Mi hija de quince años puede comprender aun los problemas matemáticos más complejos.

2. (to interpret)

a. entender

The troop movement can only be understood as a provocation.

El movimiento de tropas solo se puede entender como una provocación.

3. (to have heard)

a. tener entendido

From what I understand, she got divorced.

Según lo que tengo entendido, se divorció.

4. (to feel empathy for)

a. entender

I understand you, but I think you have to overcome the victim mentality.

Te entiendo, pero creo que debes abandonar la mentalidad de víctima.

intransitive verb

5. (to comprehend)

a. entender

I hear what you are saying and I understand.

Oigo lo que me dices y entiendo.

b. comprender

I was paying attention in class but I just didn't understand.

Estaba prestando atención en clase pero simplemente no comprendí.

understand

transitive verb

1. (comprehend)

a. entender, comprender

they understand each otherse entienden mutuamente

what I can't understand is why…lo que no llego a entender es por qué…

is that understood?¿entendido?

2. (believe, assume)

a.

I understand that…tengo entendido que…

to give somebody to understand that…dar a entender a alguien que…

are we to understand that …?¿quiere eso decir que…?, ¿debemos entender (con eso) que…?

it was understood that few of us would survivese entendía or se daba por sabido que pocos sobreviviríamos

intransitive verb

3. (general)

a. entender, comprender

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understand [ˌʌndəˈstænd] understood (past)

transitive verb

1 (comprehend) (gen) entender; (more formal, esp complex issues) comprender

I can't understand it! ¡no lo entiendo!

I can't understand a word of it

I can't understand your writing no entiendo tu letra; that's what I can't understand eso es lo que no logro entender or comprender; that is easily understood eso se entiende fácilmente; I don't want to hear another word about it, (is that) understood? no quiero que se hable más del tema, ¿entendido or comprendido?

I don't understand the way she behaved/reacted

the process is still not fully understood el proceso todavía no se comprende or entiende del todo; doctors are still trying to understand the disease los médicos siguen intentando comprender la enfermedad

that's quite understood! to understand [what] he's too young to understand what's going on I'm not sure I understand what's going on

it must be understood that ... debe entenderse que ...; you must understand that we're very busy debes entender or comprender que estamos muy ocupados

to understand how/why entender or comprender cómo/por qué

I can't understand why she behaved like that nobody could understand how it happened we can't understand how he manages to live on what he earns did you understand how to put the pieces together? I don't understand why

2 (follow, interpret) entender

did I understand you correctly? ¿te entendí bien?

I don't understand what you mean you're talking about The word hacking is often understood as being synonymous with computer fraud

to make o.s. understood hacerse entender

he was trying to make himself understood estaba intentando hacerse entender

he was speaking poor English, trying to make himself understood

do I make myself understood? ¿queda claro?

"When I tell you to do something, you do it. "/do I make myself understood?/" Fisier nodded his head vigorously

3 (empathize with) [+person, point of view, attitude] comprender; entender

his wife doesn't understand him su mujer no le comprende or entiende; she understands children comprende or entiende a los niños; we understand one another nos comprendemos or entendemos; I (fully) understand your position comprendo or entiendo (totalmente) su posición; I quite understand that you don't want to come me hago cargo de que no quieres venir

while I quite understand your concern ...

4 (know) [+language] entender

do you understand English?

he can't understand a word of Spanish no entiende ni una palabra de español

5 (believe) tener entendido

I understand you have been absent tengo entendido que usted ha estado ausente

I understand you are close friends I understood we were to be paid I understand you are leaving today "she refused" - "so I understand"

as I understand it, he's trying to set up a meeting según tengo entendido or según creo está intentando convocar una reunión

as I understand it

it's understood that he had a heart attack se piensa or cree que sufrió un infarto

it is understood that she has left the country

am I to understand that ...? ¿debo entender que ...?; we confirm our reservation and we understand (that) the rental will be 500 euros confirmamos nuestra reserva y entendemos que el alquiler será de 500 euros

it being understood that your client is responsible

to give sb to understand that dar a algn a entender que

we were given to understand that ... se nos dio a entender que ...

it's understood that he'll pay

it was understood that he would pay for it se dio por sentado que él lo pagaría

he let it be understood that ... dio a entender que ...

intransitive verb

1 (comprehend) entender; (more emphatic) comprender

do you understand? ¿entiendes or comprendes?; now I understand! ¡ahora entiendo!; ¡ahora comprendo!; there's to be no noise, (do you) understand? que no haya ruido, ¿entiendes or comprendes?

I don't need it, understand?

2 (believe)

she was, I understand, a Catholic según tengo entendido era católica

3 (accept sb's position) entender; (esp in more complex situation) comprender

he'll understand lo entenderá or comprenderá; don't worry, I quite understand no te preocupes, lo entiendo or comprendo perfectamente