Inklingo
Dictionary

comprender

kom-pren-DERkom.pɾenˈdeɾ

“comprender” means “understand” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:

understandA1Verb

to mentally grasp information

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includeB2Verb

to contain or be composed of

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be understandingB2Verb

to show empathy

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understand, getAlso: fathom

VerbA1regular er
A simplified illustration of a person's head profile showing two brightly colored puzzle pieces perfectly interlocking inside the skull, symbolizing the moment of understanding or grasping information.
infinitivecomprender
gerundcomprendiendo
past Participlecomprendido

📝 In Action

No comprendo la pregunta del profesor.

A1

I don't understand the professor's question.

¿Comprendes lo que te estoy diciendo?

A2

Do you understand what I am telling you?

Comprendieron la complejidad del problema después de leer el informe.

B1

They grasped the complexity of the problem after reading the report.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • comprender la lección – to understand the lesson
  • difícil de comprender – difficult to understand

include, compriseAlso: embrace

VerbB2regular erformal
A large, open, friendly red square box containing an assortment of smaller, colorful shapes: a blue star, a yellow circle, and a green triangle, demonstrating inclusion.
infinitivecomprender
gerundcomprendiendo
past Participlecomprendido

📝 In Action

El territorio del parque nacional comprende varios ecosistemas.

B2

The national park's territory includes several ecosystems.

La propuesta comprende todos los puntos que discutimos.

C1

The proposal comprises all the points we discussed.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • comprender una región – to encompass a region

be understanding, sympathizeAlso: be tolerant

VerbB2regular er
A high quality simple colorful illustration showing two stylized figures sitting side-by-side. One figure appears sad, and the other figure gently places a comforting hand on their shoulder, symbolizing empathy.
infinitivecomprender
gerundcomprendiendo
past Participlecomprendido

📝 In Action

Mi jefe me comprendió cuando tuve que irme temprano.

B2

My boss was understanding (of me) when I had to leave early.

Debemos comprender la frustración de nuestros clientes.

C1

We must understand (empathize with) our clients' frustration.

Si comprendieras mi situación, no me juzgarías.

C1

If you understood my situation (had empathy), you wouldn't judge me.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • empatizar (to empathize)
  • ser tolerante (to be tolerant)

Common Collocations

  • ser comprensivo – to be understanding/sympathetic (adjective form)

Indicative

Present

yocomprendo
túcomprendes
él/ella/ustedcomprende
nosotroscomprendemos
vosotroscomprendéis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomprenden

Imperfect

yocomprendía
túcomprendías
él/ella/ustedcomprendía
nosotroscomprendíamos
vosotroscomprendíais
ellos/ellas/ustedescomprendían

Preterite

yocomprendí
túcomprendiste
él/ella/ustedcomprendió
nosotroscomprendimos
vosotroscomprendisteis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomprendieron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yocomprenda
túcomprendas
él/ella/ustedcomprenda
nosotroscomprendamos
vosotroscomprendáis
ellos/ellas/ustedescomprendan

Imperfect Subjunctive

yocomprendiera
túcomprendieras
él/ella/ustedcomprendiera
nosotroscomprendiéramos
vosotroscomprendierais
ellos/ellas/ustedescomprendieran
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "comprender" in Spanish:

be tolerantbe understandingcompriseembracefathomgetincludesympathize

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: comprender

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'comprender' in the sense of 'to include'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
comprensión(understanding, comprehension) — Noun
comprensivo(understanding, sympathetic) — Adjective
incomprensión(lack of understanding) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes
aprendervender
📚 Etymology

The word comes directly from the Latin *comprehendere*, which is formed by combining *com-* (meaning 'together' or 'with') and *prehendere* (meaning 'to grasp' or 'to seize'). The original meaning was literally 'to seize or grasp something completely,' which evolved into the modern sense of 'to grasp mentally.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: comprehendFrench: comprendrePortuguese: compreender

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'comprender' a stem-changing verb?

No, 'comprender' is a completely regular verb. Unlike 'entender' (which changes 'e' to 'ie'), 'comprender' keeps the 'e' in its stem ('comprend-') throughout all its conjugations.

Can I use 'comprender' and 'entender' interchangeably?

Yes, in most everyday situations, especially when asking if someone 'gets it,' they are interchangeable. However, 'comprender' often carries a nuance of deeper, more intellectual understanding, while 'entender' is more common for basic communication.