Skip to content
fluentbyear

JAPANESE VERB

わかる

分かる

to understand

  • #13 most used
  • Godan verb (u-verb)

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present and future

now, habits, and what is to come

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI understand
NegativeI don’t understand

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI understood
NegativeI didn’t understand

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formunderstanding, and…
Doing now (て います)I am understanding
Please (て ください)please understand

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can understand
NegativeI can’t understand

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to understand
NegativeI don’t want to understand

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s understand

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I understand
  2. If, when (たら) if I understand

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) understand (do it)
  2. Plain command understand!
  3. Please don’t please don’t understand

Passive and causative

受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am understood
CausativeI make someone understand

How to use わかる

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present and future

    この かんじ の いみ が わかりません。

    I don't understand what this kanji means.

  2. Past

    ちず を みて、 やっと みち が わかりました。

    I looked at the map and finally understood the way.

  3. Te-form

    ベン さん は にほん の ルール を よく わかって います。

    Ben understands the Japanese rules well.

  4. Potential

    えいご で せつめい すれば、 わかります か。

    If I explain in English, will you understand?

  5. Want to

    けんた の きもち が もっと わかりたい。

    I want to understand Kenta's feelings better.

  6. Volitional

    あいて の きもち を わかろう と しました。

    I tried to understand how the other person felt.

  7. Conditional

    いみ が わかれば、 おぼえやすい です。

    If you understand the meaning, it's easy to remember.

  8. Commands and requests

    わからない とき は、 すぐ に ききなさい。

    When you don't understand, ask right away.

  9. Passive and causative

    むすこ に おかね の たいせつさ を わからせました。

    I made my son understand the value of money.

Good to know

  • わかる takes が, not を: にほんご が わかります.
  • わかる already means to be able to understand, so nobody says わかれる; the potential sentence shows the plain verb.

Where you hear わかる

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Beginner Level 1

  • にほんご が すこし わかります。 I understand a little Japanese.
  • ああ、 わかりました！ Oh, I get it now!
  • だいじょうぶ です よ。 すぐ わかります。 Don't worry. You'll understand soon.

Japanese · Intermediate Level 1

  • にほんご、 だいたい わかる よ。 I understand most Japanese.
  • ちず が わからなかった。 I couldn't understand the map.
  • あした に なれば わかる よ。 You'll know tomorrow.
2
Where Are You From?

Beginner Level 1 · わかります。 · わかりません。

Free 8
Lost in Asakusa

Beginner Level 1 · わかりました。

Needs a subscription 12
The Bullet Train

Beginner Level 1 · まだ わかりません！

Needs a subscription 1
Just Talk Normally

Intermediate Level 1 · わかった

Free 2
Futsal

Intermediate Level 1 · わからない

Free 4
The Open Day

Intermediate Level 1 · わからなかった

Needs a subscription 11
Mrs. Sato's Back

Intermediate Level 1 · わかってる

Needs a subscription 14
A Sign in English

Intermediate Level 1 · わかりやすい

Needs a subscription 23
A Secret Mission

Intermediate Level 1 · わかった よ！

Needs a subscription 30
Cherry Blossoms Again

Intermediate Level 1 · わかって きた

Needs a subscription 17
The Typhoon

Intermediate Level 2 · わかってる。

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).