¿me entiendes?
The English phrase "do you understand me?" is translated into Spanish as ¿me entiendes?
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone comprehends what you are saying. You may also use the phrase ¿Estás siguiendo? to ask if someone is following.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me entiendes literally means "you understand me". It is composed of the direct object pronoun me (me) and the second-person singular form of the verb entender (you understand).
Which one should you use?
While ¿me entiendes? is the most common way to ask this, ¿me comprendes? is a slightly more formal or intense alternative often used to check for deep comprehension. For more casual contexts, you can use ¿Me captas? to say "Do you understand me?" or ¿Me sigues? to ask "Are you following me?"
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are addressing more than one person, use the plural form ¿me entienden?
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, me entiendes is often used as a conversational filler or 'tag' at the end of sentences, similar to how English speakers use 'you know' or 'right'.
- The word captar in the casual ¿Me captas? literally means 'to capture' or 'to catch', imagining the listener catching an idea like a ball thrown by the speaker.
- Using ¿me comprendes? instead of ¿me entiendes? can signal that a speaker is losing patience or becoming stern, turning a check for understanding into a demand for attention.
Examples in context
- Sí, te entiendo.Yes, I understand you.
- ¿Me entiendes?Do you understand me?
- Lo digo en serio, ¿me entiendes?I'm serious, do you understand me?
- Explico de nuevo, ¿me entiendes?I'll explain again, do you understand me?
Example conversation
Mateo is explaining a game to Elena.
- MateoPrimero, tiras el dado. ¿Me entiendes?First, you roll the die. Do you understand me?
- ElenaSí, Mateo, lo entiendo perfectamente.Yes, Mateo, I understand perfectly.
- MateoEntonces, mueves tu pieza al centro.Then, you move your piece to the center.
- ElenaVale, ahora me toca a mí.Okay, now it's my turn.
