zrozumiec

Zrozumieć is a Polish verb meaning to understand, to grasp the meaning of something, or to realize. It is the perfective form of the imperfective rozumieć and denotes that the act of understanding is completed or achieved, often after explanation or effort. In ASCII texts it may appear as zrozumiec.

Etymology and aspect: The verb is built from rozumieć with a prefix that marks completion, producing the perfective zrozumieć. Rozumieć is the ongoing, imperfective form, used for statements about understanding in general or processes of understanding, while zrozumieć focuses on reaching a specific understanding.

Usage and examples: Zrozumieć is used when one seeks or attains understanding. Examples: Chcę zrozumieć ten problem. (I want to understand this problem.) Zrozumiałem, o co chodzi. (I understood what it means / what it is about.) W końcu zrozumiałem jego wyjaśnienie. (I finally understood his explanation.)

Conjugation overview: Infinitive: zrozumieć. Present tense (imperfective): rozumiem, rozumiesz, rozumie, rozumiemy, rozumiecie, rozumieją. Future (perfective, used as present in Polish): zrozumiem, zrozumiesz, zrozumie, zrozumiemy, zrozumiecie, zrozumieją. Past tense forms depend on gender and number: zrozumiałem / zrozumiała, zrozumiałeś / zrozumiałaś, zrozumieliśmy, zrozumiałyśmy, etc. Derivatives include zrozumienie (understanding) and niezrozumienie (misunderstanding).

See also: The verb contrasts with rozumieć, which covers ongoing understanding, while zrozumieć emphasizes final comprehension or realization.