How to Say ‘I don't understand’ in Japanese
わかりません
wakari mase n
[wakari mah-seh n]
💬 Usage Tip: Swapping the ending ます for ません makes a polite verb negative: たべます "I eat" becomes たべません "I don't eat".
Phrase Breakdown
わかり
wakari
[wakari]
to understand
Indicates comprehension or agreement.
先生がわかりました。
I understood the teacher.
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite negative stem
Part of the polite negative form ません.
今日は無理はしません。
I will not overdo it today.
ん
n
[n]
negative ending
The final sound completing the negative polite form.
一人は魚が食べられません。
One person cannot eat fish.
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