entender
general, Mexico
The everyday Mexican verb is entender. Comprender is a little more formal. A very Mexican way to say you finally got it is ya cayó el veinte, literally "the twenty has dropped". It is also called caer el veinte.
Meaning: to grasp the meaning of something (verb)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| entender | general, Mexico |
| comprender | formal |
| caer el veinte | Mexico, idiom |
In conversation Mexicans check understanding with ¿Me entiendes? or ¿Sí me explico? The answer is often Sí, entiendo or Ya entendí.
Which one should you use?
Caer el veinte is a Mexican idiom that comes from the old pay phones, where a twenty centavo coin dropping let the call connect. It means to suddenly realize something.
How does it change in a sentence?
Entender changes its stem: entiendo, entiendes, entiende, but entendemos.
Did you know?
- The idiom caer el veinte is linked to the coin phones that were once common on Mexican streets.
Examples in context
- No entiendo lo que dices.I do not understand what you are saying.
- Ahora sí entendí.Now I really understood.
- Ya me cayó el veinte.It just clicked for me.
Example conversation
Marta explains a bus route to a tourist in Mexico City.
- TuristaDisculpe, no entiendo bien. ¿Puede repetir?Excuse me, I do not understand well. Can you repeat?
- MartaClaro, tome el metro hasta Zócalo.Of course, take the metro to Zócalo.
- TuristaAh, ya entendí, gracias.Ah, I understand now, thank you.
- MartaDe nada, buen viaje.You are welcome, have a good trip.
