understand

Irregular
Infinitive
understand
Past Simple
understood
Past Participle
understood
-ing Form
understanding
3rd Person
understands
understand understands understanding understood

Understand means to perceive the meaning of, or to be sympathetically aware of. Irregular verb: understand-understood-understood.

Meanings

  • To perceive the meaning of
  • To be aware of or know
  • To be sympathetic toward

Common Collocations

understand clearly understand the situation make yourself understood as I understand it understanding person

Tip for Learners

Understand implies mental grasp. Comprehend is more formal. As I understand it introduces interpretation.
Present Simple
I understand
you understand
he/she/it understands
we understand
they understand
Examples - Present Simple
  • I understand the concept.
  • You understand me well.
  • She understands the language.
  • We understand the rules.
  • They understand the situation.
Present Continuous
I am understanding
you are understanding
he/she/it is understanding
we are understanding
they are understanding
Examples - Present Continuous
  • I am understanding the concept.
  • You are understanding me better.
  • She is understanding the language.
  • We are understanding the rules.
  • They are understanding the situation.
Present Perfect
I have understood
you have understood
he/she/it has understood
we have understood
they have understood
Examples - Present Perfect
  • I have understood the concept.
  • You have understood me.
  • She has understood the language.
  • We have understood the rules.
  • They have understood the situation.
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been understanding
you have been understanding
he/she/it has been understanding
we have been understanding
they have been understanding
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
  • I have been understanding more.
  • You have been understanding me.
  • She has been understanding the language.
  • We have been understanding the rules.
  • They have been understanding the situation.
Past Simple
I understood
you understood
he/she/it understood
we understood
they understood
Examples - Past Simple
  • I understood the concept.
  • You understood me.
  • She understood the language.
  • We understood the rules.
  • They understood the situation.
Past Continuous
I was understanding
you were understanding
he/she/it was understanding
we were understanding
they were understanding
Examples - Past Continuous
  • I was understanding the concept.
  • You were understanding me.
  • She was understanding the language.
  • We were understanding the rules.
  • They were understanding the situation.
Past Perfect
I had understood
you had understood
he/she/it had understood
we had understood
they had understood
Examples - Past Perfect
  • I had understood the concept.
  • You had understood me.
  • She had understood the language.
  • We had understood the rules.
  • They had understood the situation.
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been understanding
you had been understanding
he/she/it had been understanding
we had been understanding
they had been understanding
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
  • I had been understanding more.
  • You had been understanding me.
  • He had been understanding the language.
  • We had been understanding the rules.
  • They had been understanding the situation.
Future Simple
I will understand
you will understand
he/she/it will understand
we will understand
they will understand
Examples - Future Simple
  • I will understand the concept.
  • You will understand me.
  • She will understand the language.
  • We will understand the rules.
  • They will understand the situation.
Future Continuous
I will be understanding
you will be understanding
he/she/it will be understanding
we will be understanding
they will be understanding
Examples - Future Continuous
  • I will be understanding more.
  • You will be understanding me.
  • He will be understanding the language.
  • We will be understanding the rules.
  • They will be understanding the situation.
Future Perfect
I will have understood
you will have understood
he/she/it will have understood
we will have understood
they will have understood
Examples - Future Perfect
  • I will have understood the concept.
  • You will have understood me.
  • She will have understood the language.
  • We will have understood the rules.
  • They will have understood the situation.
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been understanding
you will have been understanding
he/she/it will have been understanding
we will have been understanding
they will have been understanding
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
  • I will have been understanding more.
  • You will have been understanding me.
  • He will have been understanding the language.
  • We will have been understanding the rules.
  • They will have been understanding the situation.
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