How to Say ‘Got it / I understand.’ in Japanese
わかりました。
wakari mashi ta
[wah-kah-ree mah-shee tah]
💬 Usage Tip: [わかりました] is the polite past form of [わかる], but it often means “Okay, I got it” in the moment. Pronunciation tip: keep it smooth—(wah-kah-ree-mah-shee-tah).
🇯🇵 In Japan: When someone explains a route to the subway, saying [わかりました] with a nod signals you’re done listening and ready to go. It’s a very “wrap-up” phrase in Japanese conversations.
Phrase Breakdown
わかり
wakari
[wah-kah-ree]
understood; I got it (polite)
The stem of わかる. Appears in polite past form (わかりました) to show you understood the explanation/directions.
地下鉄の入口はあそこだとわかりました。
I understood that the subway entrance is over there.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
(polite verb ending part of 〜ました)
A component of the polite past form. By itself it’s not used as an independent word; it helps make speech polite.
説明を聞いて、わかりましたと答えました。
After listening to the explanation, I replied, “I understood.”
た
ta
[tah]
(past tense marker in polite form)
The final part of 〜ました, showing past/completed action in polite speech.
道を教えてくれて、わかりました。
You explained the route, and I understood.
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