分かった
wakatta
In Japanese, the English phrase 'understood' is expressed as 分かった (wakatta). Wiktionary also lists 理解された (rikai-sare-ta).
Meaning: comprehended (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 分かった | wakatta |
| 理解された | rikai-sare-ta |
The term is used to express that something has been comprehended. It can serve as an adjective meaning 'comprehended' or as an indication that the speaker has grasped a point or instruction.
Which one should you use?
分かった (wakatta) is the common way to say 'I understood' in many situations. In contrast, 理解された (rikai-sare-ta) is a more formal, passive construction used to mean 'was understood', such as when saying 'the concept was understood'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Additionally, adding the particle か (ka) to the end of 分かった turns it into a question, often used by someone in authority to ask 'Understood?' or 'Do you understand?'
How do you pronounce it?
wakatta
Did you know?
- If you want to say 'I understand' in a very formal, humble way to a customer, you would use かしこまりました (kashikomarimashita), which originally referred to kneeling before royalty.
- In many Japanese business settings, instead of saying 'I understood', people say 了解です (ryoukai desu), which literally means 'received and understood', common in radio communications.
- If you use 分かった (wakatta) with a superior, it can sound dismissive, like saying 'Got it' to a boss. To show proper respect, you should use 承知いたしました (shouchi-itashimashita) instead.
Examples in context
- めっちゃ分かった。I totally understood.This sentence expresses total comprehension using 分かった.Tatoeba #11870542 by small_snow, translation #12342079 by CK
- 言いたいことは分かった。I understood what you meant.This sentence shows understanding of a specific point using 分かった.Tatoeba #12286968 by small_snow, translation #1887867 by CK
- もうするんじゃないぞ。分かったか？Don't ever do that again. Understood?This sentence demonstrates using 分かった as a question from someone in authority.Tatoeba #11394615 by small_snow, translation #10049283 by osdedicados
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daito is explaining a task to Misaki at work.
- 大翔 Hirotoこの資料を明日までにまとめてほしい。Kono shiryou o ashita made ni matomete hoshii.I want you to summarize these documents by tomorrow.
- 美咲 Misakiはい、分かった。Hai, wakatta.Yes, understood.
- 大翔 Hiroto分からないところがあったら聞いてね。Wakaranai tokoro ga attara kiite ne.Let me know if there is anything you don't understand.
- 美咲 Misaki大丈夫です。もう分かったので。Daijoubu desu. Mou wakatta node.I'm fine. I've already understood.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “understood” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
