Entiendo

Entiendo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Spanish verb entender, meaning “to understand.” It is used to express comprehension of information, statements, instructions, or situations, and can also function as a standalone interjection meaning “I understand.”

Etymology and background: entender comes from Latin roots related to intendere, evolving through the Romance languages. It is closely related to verbs in other Ibero-Romance languages, such as Portuguese entender. The verb belongs to a category of stem-changing verbs in the present tense, where the e changes to ie in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

Conjugation and forms: In the present tense, the forms follow the pattern: entiendo, entiendes, entiende, entendemos, entendéis, entienden. It is a stem-changing verb (e → ie) in most present-tense forms. Other tenses include aclarable forms such as entendí (preterite), entendía (imperfect), entenderé (future), and present subjunctive entiendan/entendamos, among others. The adjective “entendido” means “understood,” and “entenderse” is the reflexive form meaning “to understand each other” or, in some contexts, “to get along.”

Usage and nuance: Entender is commonly used for practical or functional understanding, while comprender can convey a deeper or more comprehensive grasp. In clauses with que, as in “Entiendo que no puedas venir,” the phrase expresses acknowledgment of a point or reason. Negations such as “No te entiendo” mean “I don’t understand you,” and imperatives like “¡Entiéndeme!” mean “Understand me!” The phrase “entendido” is used to indicate something is understood or to describe someone who understands well, often as an adjective or noun.

See also: languages and cognates, English “understand,” and related Spanish verbs such as comprender or captar.