🧠📋✅

How to Say ‘I understand the situation.’ in Japanese

事情は分かりました。

jijou wa wakari mashi ta

[jee-JOH wah wakari mah-shee tah]

💬 Usage Tip: は here is said (wa), not (ha). It sets up a contrast: "the situation, I understand… (but)". That leaves room for the complaint that follows.

Phrase Breakdown

事情は

jijou wa

the circumstances

Pronounced 'jijou wa'. Hold the long 'jou'. は is read 'wa'.

Example

事情は聞いています。

I've heard about the situation.

Words in this phrase

事情

jijou

[jee-JOH]

circumstances; situation

The reasons or background of a matter.

Example

事情を説明します。

I'll explain the situation.

は

[wah]

topic marker

は marks the topic of the sentence.

Example

空席はありますか。

Are there any seats available?

分かりました。

wakari mashi ta

I understand.

Pronounced 'wakarimashita'. It is the polite past form of 'wakaru' (to understand).

Example

はい、分かりました。

Yes, I understand.

Words in this phrase

分かり

wakari

[wakari]

to understand

To comprehend or realize something.

Example

分かりました、時間がかかりませんね。

I understand, it won't take time, right?

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite past stem

Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.

Example

昨日は多くのことを学びました。

I learned many things yesterday.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

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