Making sure the person you are talking to get’s your message is crucial. If they don’t understand you, talking to them is just a waste of time and energy. This is even more important when you are using a language you are still learning to master. So today, we will look at the correct way how to say “do you understand” in German.
Of course, language is only one means of communication between humans. We also rely on gestures, the mimics of our faces, the tone of what is being said and all kinds of body language. And when we are in doubt whether the person we talk to gets what we are saying, it is often best to ask.
In Britain, a common joke about how to talk to foreigners is to do it in English, but slowly and with a loud voice. But today we try to get a step ahead and look at the typical German translations for some common phrases about understanding.
Do you understand in German when addressing a single Person (informal)
As usual in German we have to distinguish between the formal and informal forms of addressing other people. You use the formal address when you are talking to foreigners, authority figures like doctors or the police, as well as clients and seniors in your company. The informal way of address is used for friends and family.
- Verstehst du? — Do you understand?
- Verstehst du mich? — Do you understand me?
- Verstehst du, was ich meine? — Do you understand what I mean?
- Verstehst du, wovon ich spreche? — Do you understand what I am talking about?
- Kannst du mir folgen? — Do you get my drift?
Do you understand in German when addressing a single Person (formal)
Germans in general have become much more relaxed about this whole formal informal thing in recent decades, but when in doubt you should use the formal address.
- Verstehen Sie? — Do you understand?
- Verstehen Sie mich? — Do you understand me?
- Verstehen Sie, was ich meine? — Do you understand what I mean?
- Verstehen Sie, wovon ich spreche? — Do you understand what I am talking about?
- Können Sie mir folgen? — Do you get my drift?
Do you understand in German when addressing multiple Persons (informal)
- Versteht ihr? — Do you understand?
- Versteht ihr mich? — Do you understand me?
- Versteht ihr, was ich meine? — Do you understand what I mean?
- Versteht ihr, wovon ich spreche? — Do you understand what I am talking about?
- Könnt ihr mir folgen? — Do you get my drift?
Do you understand in German when addressing multiple Persons (formal)
In German, there is no difference between addressing a single person or multiple persons when using the formal address. So the following sentences are the same as above.
- Verstehen Sie? — Do you understand?
- Verstehen Sie mich? — Do you understand me?
- Verstehen Sie, was ich meine? — Do you understand what I mean?
- Verstehen Sie, wovon ich spreche? — Do you understand what I am talking about?
- Können Sie mir folgen? — Do you get my drift?
So, how would a German native speaker reply to one of these questions? Here are some examples:
- Ja, ich verstehe. — Yes, I understand.
- Ja, ich hab’s verstanden. — Yes, I got it.
- Ja, ich weiß, was du meinst. — Yes, I know what you mean.
- Nein, ich verstehe es nicht. — No, I don’t understand.
- Nein, ich habe das nicht verstanden. — No, I did not understand that.
- Nein, ich weiß nicht, was du meinst. — No, I don’t know what you mean.
How to Say Do you understand? in GermanAdvertisement
If you want to know how to say Do you understand? in German, you will find the translation here. We hope this will help you to understand German better.
Here is the translation and the German word for Do you understand?:
Verstehst du?
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Do you understand? in all languages
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«Do you understand? in German.» In Different Languages, https://www.indifferentlanguages.com/words/do_you_understand%3F/german. Accessed 14 Apr 2023.
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Do you understand in German is verstehst du
Example Sentences
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Verstehst du, was er sagt?
Do you understand what he’s saying?
Source
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Wie viel von dem, was ich hier geschrieben habe, verstehst du?
How much of what I’ve written here do you understand?
Source
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Verstehst du, was ich sage?
Do you understand what I’m saying?
Source
-
Verstehst du?
Do you understand?
Source
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Verstehst du, was ich meine?
Do you know what I mean?, Do you understand what I mean?
Source
More Examples of Do you understand in German
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Verstehen Sie, was ich sage?
Do you understand what I’m saying?
Source
-
Verstehen Sie?
Do you understand?
Source
-
Verstehen Sie, was er sagt?
Do you understand what he’s saying?
Source
-
Erkennst du den Unterschied?
Can you see the difference?, Do you understand the difference?
Source
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Begreifen Sie, was Sie getan haben?
Do you understand what you’ve done?
Source
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Versteht ihr Französisch?
Do you understand French?
Source
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Wissen Sie, was Sie tun müssen?
Do you understand what you have to do?
Source
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Verstehen Sie sie?
Do you understand her?
Source
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Ist dir klar, was du zu tun hast?
Do you understand what you have to do?
Source
Looking for something a bit more visual? Check out our infographic on Do you understand in German with example sentences and translations.
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kennen sie
do you knoware you familiarhave you known
Examples of using
Do you understand
in a sentence and their translations
Weißt du, dass
du
nicht wirklich existierst?“?
Liebes, weißt du, was mit deinem Körper passiert?
Versuch nicht, dieses Zimmer zu verlassen, hörst du?
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exp.
verstehen Sie? ; hast du/haben Sie das verstanden?
do, understand
Additional comments:
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It’s easy and only takes a few seconds:
understand
( understood pret, ptp )
a [language, painting, statement, speaker] verstehen
[action, event, person, difficulty also] begreifen
I don’t understand Russian ich verstehe or kann kein Russisch
that’s what I can’t understand das kann ich eben nicht verstehen or begreifen
I can’t understand his agreeing to do it ich kann nicht verstehen or es ist mir unbegreiflich, warum er sich dazu bereit erklärt hat
but understand this! aber eins sollte klar sein
what do you understand by «pragmatism»? was verstehen Sie unter «Pragmatismus»?
b
(=comprehend sympathetically) [children, people, animals, doubts, fears] verstehen
to understand one another sich verstehen
c
(=believe)
I understand that you are going to Australia ich höre, Sie gehen nach Australien
I understand that you’ve already met her Sie haben sich, soviel ich weiß, schon kennen gelernt
I understood (that) he was abroad/we were to have been consulted ich dachte, er sei im Ausland/wir sollten dazu befragt werden
am I/are we to understand that …? soll das etwa heißen, dass …?
as I understand it, … soweit ich weiß, …
did I understand him to say that …? habe ich richtig verstanden, dass er sagte, …?
but I understood her to say that she agreed aber soweit ich sie verstanden habe, hat sie zugestimmt
to give sb to understand that … jdm zu verstehen geben, dass …
I was given to understand that … man hat mir bedeutet, dass …
I understood from his speech that … ich schloss aus seiner Rede, dass …
what do you understand from his remarks? wie verstehen Sie seine Bemerkungen?
d (Gram)
(=supply) [word] sich ( dat ) denken, (im Stillen) ergänzen
→
understood
a
(=comprehend) verstehen
(do you) understand? (hast du/haben Sie das) verstanden?
you don’t understand! du verstehst mich nicht!
but you don’t understand, I must have the money now aber verstehen Sie doch, ich brauche das Geld jetzt!
I quite understand ich verstehe schon
b
(=believe)
so I understand es scheint so
he was, I understand, a widower wie ich hörte, war er Witwer
Translation English — German Collins Dictionary 
do you understand
| verstehst du |
|
| And only with age do you understand how this terrible habit can destroy even the strongest health. | Und nur mit zunehmendem Alter verstehst du, wie diese schreckliche Gewohnheit sogar die stärkste Gesundheit zerstören kann. |
| We are murderers, Papa, do you understand!? My father cried. | Wir sind Mörder, Papa, verstehst du?! Mein Vater fing an zu weinen. |
| verstehen Sie |
|
| Dr. Woods, in the event that your wife’s corpse is not recoverable, do you understand… | Dr. Woods, für den Fall, dass der Leichnam Ihrer Frau nicht transportabel ist, verstehen Sie… |
| Do you feel understood and do you understand the opposite. | Fühlen Sie sich verstanden und verstehen Sie das Gegenteil. |
| versteht ihr |
|
| Not that I am ever without joy, but do you understand? | Nicht dass Ich jemals ohne Freude wäre, aber versteht ihr? |
| My children, I hear every voice — do you understand?? | Meine Kinder, Ich höre eure Stimme — versteht ihr? |
More translations in context: weißt du, wissen Sie …