How to Say ‘I understand’ in Japanese
分かります
wakari masu
[wah-kah-ree mah-soo]
💬 Usage Tip: [分かります] is polite “I understand.” Negative: [分かりません] = “I don’t understand.”
🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, saying [分かりました] can also mean “Got it / I’ll do it,” not just “I understand.”
Phrase Breakdown
分かり
wakari
[wah-kah-ree]
understand (polite stem)
Stem of 分かる used for polite forms like 分かります/分かりました (“I understand / I understood”).
よく分かります。
I understand well.
ます
masu
[mah-soo]
polite verb ending (-masu)
Polite ending added to verb stems to make polite present/future form (e.g., 分かります).
分かります。
I understand.
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