How to Say ‘I understand’ in Japanese
分かりました
wakari mashi ta
[wah-kah-ree mah-shee tah]
Phrase Breakdown
分かり
wakari
[wah-kah-ree]
understood
Verb stem meaning to understand or recognize.
説明を聞いて分かりました。
After hearing the explanation, I understood.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
did; polite past marker
Part of the polite past ending in 分かりました.
料金の理由がまし分かりました。
I understood the reason for the fare.
た
ta
[tah]
past tense ending
Final past-tense element of the polite verb.
今はた分かりました。
Now I understood.
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