понима́ть
ponimátʹimperfective
The English phrase "understand" is translated into Russian as понима́ть (ponimátʹ). Wiktionary also lists поня́ть (ponjátʹ) and разуме́ть (razumétʹ).
Meaning: to grasp the meaning of (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| понима́ть | ponimátʹ | imperfective |
| поня́ть | ponjátʹ | perfective |
| разуме́ть | razumétʹ | dated, imperfective |
These forms are used to express the act of grasping the meaning of something.
Which one should you use?
Use понима́ть to describe the ongoing process of understanding or a general ability to understand. Use поня́ть to describe a specific moment of grasping a meaning or a completed act of understanding.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
разуме́ть is archaic or highly literary and is rarely used in modern everyday speech. For formal expressions of comprehension or realization, you may use Осознавать (Osoznávat').
How does it change in a sentence?
The first-person singular present tense of the imperfective verb is я понимаю. To say "I understood" or "I got it" in the masculine singular past tense, use я понял. To say the same in the feminine singular past tense, use я поняла.
How do you pronounce it?
ponimátʹ
Did you know?
- When someone says я не понимаю with a specific intonation, it can be used as a polite way to express disagreement or disbelief rather than a lack of linguistic comprehension.
- The archaic разуме́ть shares a root with разум, which means 'reason' or 'intellect', linking understanding directly to the capacity for rational thought.
- In Russian, you can use the verb понима́ть to describe having a certain 'feel' for a subject, such as понима́ть в музыке to mean 'to be knowledgeable about music'.
Examples in context
- Понимаете ли вы, о чем я говорю?Do you understand what I am saying?
- Я осознаю важность этого решения.I understand the importance of this decision.
- Понял, о чем ты говоришь.Got it, I understand what you're saying.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “understand” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
