Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| rozumieć | /rɔˈzu.mjɛt͡ɕ/ /rɔˈzu.mjɛt͡ɕ/ (Middle, Polish) |
imperfective |
| zrozumieć | /zrɔˈzu.mjɛt͡ɕ/ /zrɔˈzu.mjɛt͡ɕ/ (Middle, Polish) |
perfective |
| pojmować | /pɔjˈmɔ.vat͡ɕ/ | imperfective |
| pojąć | /ˈpɔ.jɔɲt͡ɕ/ | perfective |
| być świadomym znaczenia | imperfective |
The verb is used to express the act of grasping the meaning of something.
Which one should you use?
Use the imperfective form rozumieć for the ongoing process of understanding or to describe a state of understanding. Use the perfective form zrozumieć to describe the specific moment of grasping something or the completed act of understanding. For a deeper, more intellectual comprehension of a concept, you may use the imperfective verb pojmować. Its perfective counterpart, pojąć, is used to express a sudden realization or comprehension.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Pojmować and pojąć are more formal or literary. In informal settings, especially among younger generations, you might hear the slang term Kapuję or the word Ogarniam to mean "I get it".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the first-person singular present tense, the verb rozumieć changes to rozumiem (I understand).
How do you pronounce it?
The word rozumieć is pronounced /rɔˈzu.mjɛtɕ/. It has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable.
When do people say it?
If someone explains something to you and you want to confirm you follow, you can simply say Rozumiem. Conversely, to express that you do not follow or do not grasp what is being said, you should use Nie rozumiem.
Did you know?
- The slang term ogarniam comes from the verb for 'tidying up' or 'cleaning', implying that you have mentally organized the information to make it clear.
- The slang word kapuję is believed to be influenced by the German word kapieren, which also means 'to get it' or 'understand'.
- The word rozum meaning 'reason' or 'intellect' shares the same root as rozumieć, linking the ability to understand directly to the possession of a rational mind.
Examples in context
- Jak mam to rozumieć?How am I supposed to understand that?This sentence is useful for asking how one is supposed to interpret something using rozumieć.Tatoeba #4438801 by Luanne, translation #4425742 by Ooneykcall
- Nie mogę jej zrozumieć.I can't understand her.This sentence shows how to express an inability to grasp someone using zrozumieć.Tatoeba #6305764 by fau, translation #3904940 by CH
- Chcę zrozumieć sens życia.I want to understand the meaning of life.This sentence demonstrates wanting to grasp a concept using zrozumieć.Tatoeba #9845848 by Cezrun64, translation #7127829 by CK
- Oczywiście, cały proces jest dość skomplikowany, ale mam nadzieję, że rozumiesz.Of course, the whole process is quite complicated, but I hope you understand.
- Kapuję, to brzmi świetnie! Spotkajmy się o 20:00.I get it, that sounds great! Let's meet at 8:00 p.m.
- 57 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Piotr and Małgorzata are discussing a difficult text for school.
- PiotrCzy ty rozumieć ten tekst?Do you understand this text?
- MałgorzataNie, ja zupełnie go nie rozumiem.No, I don't understand it at all.
- PiotrMoże nauczyciel pomoże nam to zrozumieć.Maybe the teacher will help us understand it.
- MałgorzataTo dobry pomysł, Piotr.That is a good idea, Piotr.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “understand” translations and entries rozumieć, zrozumieć, pojmować, pojąć, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
