How to Say ‘I understand.’ in Japanese
わかりました。
wakari mashi ta
[wah-kah-ree mah-shee tah]
💬 Usage Tip: Polite “I understand.” Great after medicine directions: [しょくごに のんでください] → [わかりました].
🇯🇵 In Japan: If you didn’t understand, it’s totally OK to say [もういちど おねがいします] (“One more time, please”)—pharmacists are used to it.
Phrase Breakdown
わかり
wakari
[wah-kah-ree]
understand (stem: wakari-).
Stem of わかる used to form the polite past. Combined with ました → わかりました (“I understood / I see”).
飲み方はわかり ました。
I understand how to take it.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
(polite past) -mashi-.
Part of the polite past ending ました. Used to respond politely after receiving instructions.
注意点はわかりまし た。
I understood the cautions.
た
ta
[tah]
(polite past) -ta.
Final part of ました. Together with まし forms the polite past ending.
わかりました た。
(Polite past ending as in “I understood.”)
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