Japanese Grammar In Its Natural Habitat
Wild Nihongo!
わかる

わかる

わかる Japanese Grammar Lesson

Grammar Type: Potential Verb

Essential Meaning: To understand

Construction: Potential Verb

Notes:

  • The basic meaning of わかる (分わかる in kanji) is “To understand“, but there are some noteworthy nuances to keep in mind. Firstly, 分わかる is a potential form verb, meaning that 分わかる technically indicates one’s potential or ability to understand something. It also means that there is no potential form conjugation of 分わかる (i.e. 分わかれる is ungrammatical).
  • 分わかる typically follows the ~は~が sentence structure, in which the experiencer is marked by は and the thing that is understood is marked by が. The understander can also optionally take the に (Existence) particle in addition to は.
    • E.g. 私わたしにはこの言葉ことばが分わかる。[As for me, I understand these words.]
  • One exception to this ~は~が structure is that when the sentence involves conscious effort to comprehend something (as opposed to spontaneous comprehension). In such cases, the を particle is used to mark the object of comprehension.
    • E.g. 親おやの死しを小ちいさい子供こどもに分わからせるのは難むずかしい。[It’s hard to make a small child comprehend the death of a parent.]
    • E.g. ジャックはリンダの気持きもちを分わかろうとしない。[Jack does not make an effort to understand Linda’s feelings.]
  • There is a subtle difference between 分わかるand 知しる [To know]. Namely, 分わかる indicates a process of understanding, whereas 知しる indicates a state of knowing or an act of receiving raw information from an outside source. In other words, 分わかる involves the process of finding out, understanding, or comprehending something, and 知しる involves the transmission and receipt of raw, discrete information that does not need to be analyzed or unpacked.
    • E.g. 友達ともだちに聞きいて大野おおのの結婚けっこんのことを知しっていた。[I knew about Ono’s marriage by hearing it from a friend.] This sentence involves a mere transmission of information rather than a process of understanding or reasoning. Therefore, 知しる is the appropriate verb choice.
    • E.g. よく考かんがえれば分わかります。[If you think hard, you’ll understand.] This sentence involves a deliberate act of consideration and reasoning. Therefore, 分わかる is the appropriate verb choice.
    • E.g. A: いくら分わかりますか？B: はい、調しらべれば分わかります。[A: Do you know how much it is? B: Yes, if I look it up I can figure it out.]
    • E.g. こんばん何なにをするつもりですか？まだ分わかりません。[A: What are you planning to do this evening: B: I haven’t figured that out yet.]

Example Sentences:

私わたしにはこの言葉ことばが分わからない。[As for me, I don’t understand these words.]

私わたしはこの映画えいがの意味いみが分わからない。[I don’t understand this movie’s meaning.]

この問題もんだいは難むずかしくて分わかりません。[This problem is difficult, so I don’t understand it.]

明日あしたまでにこの仕事しごとができるかどうかわかりません。[I’m not sure whether I will be able to finish this job by tomorrow.]

A: 田中たなかさんを知しっていますか B: 知しっていますが、あの人ひとはどうもよく分わかりません。[A: Do you know Tanaka-san? B: I know him, but he is somehow incomprehensible to me.]

WILD Examples:

At 0:18, listen for this line: 分わからないことばかりさ [There’s nothing but things that I can’t understand.] The context here is that Tarzan has just encountered fellow humans, and he wants to learn more about them.
At 0:27, listen for this line: 輝かがやく星ほしも流ながれる雲くもも名前なまえを聞きかれても分わからない [As for the shining stars and the streaming cloud…if I were asked what their names are, I would have no idea.]

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