compreenda

Compreenda is the imperative mood form of the Portuguese verb compreender, meaning to understand. It is used to issue a direct instruction or request that someone understand a statement, concept, or situation. In standard Brazilian and European Portuguese, the affirmative imperative for the addressed form "você" (and for "o senhor/a senhora" in formal address) is "compreenda," making it common in formal, instructional, or clarifying contexts such as lectures, manuals, or directives. The informal singular form used with "tu" is "compreende," not "compreenda."

Etymology and form relations: compreender derives from the Latin comprehendere, from com- "together" and prehendere "to seize." The imperative "compreenda" preserves the sense of grasping or taking in understanding a concept, reflecting the verb’s semantic core.

Usage and examples: In written and spoken Portuguese, you might encounter phrases like "Compreenda o problema antes de agir" or "Compreenda as regras para evitar confusões." The form is typically associated with formal or instructional registers and is less common in casual conversation, where "compreende" would be used instead if the speaker employs the informal tu form or uses a different regional variant. Overall, compreenda functions as a directive aimed at eliciting understanding from the listener.