Japanese verb 分かる: understand

The idea

分かる expresses understanding a word, answer or explanation. This is a godan verb: 分かる becomes 分かります in polite speech and 分かって in the て form. The table also shows the polite negative and past. An understood thing commonly takes が: 意味が分かります. A known person or fact commonly takes を: 田中さんを知っています. 知っています describes knowledge you already have; 知りました describes learning something. In a negative answer, 知りません is the usual form. This intransitive verb commonly marks what is understood with が. 分かっています can describe an existing state of understanding; 分かりました can acknowledge a new understanding.

Examples

• 私わたしは日本語にほんごが少すこし分わかります。I understand a little Japanese.
• この質問しつもんの意味いみが分わかりません。I do not understand the meaning of this question.
• 説明せつめいを聞きいて、道みちが分わかりました。After hearing the explanation, I understood the way.
• この言葉ことばが分わかりますか。Do you understand this word?
• 答こたえがまだ分わかりません。I do not know the answer yet.
• はい、もう分わかっています。Yes, I already understand.

Watch out

English “know” can translate both verbs. Do not infer the Japanese particle or form from the English word alone.

Try it yourself

1. After an explanation, choose the form meaning “understood the meaning”. 説明せつめいを聞きいて、意味いみが＿。（分わかりました／知しりました）

   Show answer or example answer

   分かりました

   Meaning is marked by が, and 分かりました expresses understanding after the explanation.

2. 日本語にほんご＿分わかります。（が／を）

   Show answer or example answer

   が

   が marks what is understood in this construction: 日本語が分かります.

3. Choose the form for knowing Ms Tanaka. 田中たなかさんを＿か。（知しっています／分わかります）

   Show answer or example answer

   知っています

   A person known to you takes を and 知っています describes existing knowledge.

Use it today

Make two sentences with this verb, one negative; check their forms against the table.