ты понимаешь?
ty ponimayesh'?
In Russian, "do you understand" is expressed as ты понимаешь? (ty ponimayesh'?)
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone comprehends the information being shared.
What does it mean word for word?
The word понимаешь is the second-person singular present tense form of the verb понимать (to understand).
How does it change in a sentence?
To answer "I understand" in the affirmative, use the first-person singular form я понимаю. The formal or plural version of the phrase uses the verb form вы понимаете? instead of the informal ты понимаешь?
How do you pronounce it?
ty ponimayesh'?
Did you know?
- The root of the word понимать is also linked to the idea of 'between', implying that understanding is the ability to stand between two points or concepts.
- Depending on the intonation, понимаешь is frequently used as a filler word or a discourse marker, similar to how an English speaker might say 'you know' in the middle of a sentence.
- In a high-stress or formal situation, asking вы понимаете? can sometimes sound more like a warning or an interrogation than a genuine question about comprehension.
Examples in context
- «Ты понимаешь?» «Нет, не понимаю»."Do you understand?" "No, I don't."This sentence shows how to respond to the question ты понимаешь? in the negative.Tatoeba #4005242 by odexed, translation #3672971 by Hybrid
- Что ты понимаешь?What do you understand?This sentence shows how to ask what specifically is understood using ты понимаешь?Tatoeba #6026522 by Balamax, translation #6026520 by zumley
- Теперь ты понимаешь?Now do you understand?This sentence shows how to ask if understanding has occurred now using ты понимаешь?Tatoeba #3413495 by odexed, translation #2260666 by Amastan
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Anastasia is explaining a task to Dmitry.
- Анастасия AnastasiaСначала сделай это, ты понимаешь?Snachala sdelay eto, ty ponimayesh?First do this, do you understand?
- Дмитрий DmitryДа, всё понятно.Da, vsyo ponyatno.Yes, everything is clear.
- Анастасия AnastasiaА теперь вторую часть, ты понимаешь?A teper vtoruyu chast, ty ponimayesh?And now the second part, do you understand?
- Дмитрий DmitryТеперь я понимаю.Teper ya ponimayu.Now I understand.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
