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How to Say ‘Didn't understand something’ in German

Etwas nicht verstanden

ET-vahs nicht fer-SHTAN-den

[ET-vahs nicht fer-SHTAN-den]

💬 Usage Tip: nicht goes right before the final verb form verstanden. Same pattern: Ich habe das nicht gehört "I didn't hear that".

Phrase Breakdown

Etwas

[ET-vahs]

something, anything

Indefinite pronoun for an unspecified thing.

Example

Brauchen Sie etwas?

Do you need anything?

nicht

[nicht]

not

Used to negate a sentence.

Example

Dieses Angebot gibt's nicht mehr.

This offer no longer exists.

verstanden

[fer-SHTAN-den]

understood

Past participle of 'verstehen' (to understand), used with 'haben'.

Example

Hast du die Aufgabe verstanden?

Did you understand the task?

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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