понимать

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Russian

Etymology

From по- (po-) +‎ -нима́ть (-nimátʹ). Related to пойма́ть (pojmátʹ).

Pronunciation

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Verb

понима́ть (ponimátʹimpf (perfective поня́ть, verbal noun понима́ние)

  1. to understand, to comprehend, to see
    Synonym: (dated, poetic) разуме́ть (razumétʹ)
    Я не понима́ю, что вы говори́те.
    Ja ne ponimáju, što vy govoríte.
    I don't understand what you're saying.
    • 1904, Лев Толстой, “VI”, in Хаджи-Мурат; English translation from Louise and Aylmer Maude, transl., Hadji Murat, 1912:
      Он немного понимал по-русски, но не мог говорить, и когда не понимал, улыбался, и улыбка его понравилась Марье Васильевне так же, как и Полторацкому.
      On nemnogo ponimal po-russki, no ne mog govoritʹ, i kogda ne ponimal, ulybalsja, i ulybka jevo ponravilasʹ Marʹje Vasilʹjevne tak že, kak i Poltorackomu.
      He understood a little Russian but could not speak it. When something was said which he could not understand he smiled, and his smile pleased Marya Vasilevna just as it had pleased Poltoratsky.
  2. to realize, to appreciate

Conjugation

Related terms