entendo

Entendo is a Portuguese verb form meaning “I understand.” It is the first-person singular present indicative of entender, the verb used to express comprehension, awareness, or acknowledgment of information, explanations, or situations. The form is used in both Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese.

Etymology and classification: Entendi from entender derives from the Latin verb intendere, through the Romance language development that produced the verb entender in Portuguese. Entendo follows the regular conjugation pattern of -er verbs in the present tense.

Usage and nuances: Entendo is commonly used to acknowledge understanding in conversation, often as a brief reply to an explanation or instruction. It can stand alone as Entendo, or be expanded with a subordinate clause, such as Entendo o que você quer dizer. In more formal contexts, speakers may choose synonyms like compreendo or percebo to convey a similar meaning, depending on nuance and register.

Conjugation notes: The present tense forms of entender (and by extension entendo) include eu entendo; você entende (or tu entendes in regions that use the tu form); ele/ela entende; nós entendemos; vocês entendem; eles/elas entendem. Dialectal variation affects the second-person forms, particularly the use of tu versus você.

See also: Entender, the infinitive; Compreender, a closely related verb with a stronger nuance of deeper or more complete understanding; Linguistic notes on present-tense conjugation in Portuguese. Entendo can also function as a polite acknowledgment in formal or professional contexts.