What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of tôi, meaning "I" and hiểu, meaning "to understand".
Which one should you use?
While tôi hiểu is a standard way to express comprehension, you may hear hiểu rồi in casual conversation, where the subject is dropped to mean "Got it" or "Understood".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The choice of the word for "I" changes based on social hierarchy. You should use em hiểu when speaking to someone of higher status or someone older. If you are speaking to your parents or much older relatives, use con hiểu to be polite. For a more colloquial or informal tone, you can use Tui hiểu.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle rồi after hiểu to create hiểu rồi indicates that the understanding has just been achieved or completed, often translated as "I understand now" or "I got it".
Did you know?
Examples in context
- À, tôi hiểu rồi.Ah, I understand.This sentence shows how to express sudden realization with tôi hiểu.Tatoeba #13339849 by leucammieuvu, translation #10904833 by CM
- Tôi hiểu tiếng Pháp.I understand French.This sentence demonstrates how to use tôi hiểu to describe understanding a specific language.Tatoeba #13340818 by leucammieuvu, translation #5958308 by CK
- Tôi hiểu cảm giác của bạn.I understand how you're feeling.This sentence shows how to use tôi hiểu to express empathy for someone's feelings.Tatoeba #8833006 by dotheduyet1999, translation #8338447 by CK
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minh is explaining a new rule to Mai at work.
- MinhBạn làm theo cách này nhé.Please do it this way.
- MaiVâng, tôi hiểu rồi.Yes, I understand now.
- MinhBạn có thắc mắc gì không?Do you have any questions?
- MaiKhông, tôi hiểu hết rồi.No, I understand everything.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tôi, hiểu) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hiểu, tôi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
