How to Say "was understanding" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “was understanding” is “entendía” — A2 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Yo no entendía nada de lo que decía el profesor.
I didn't understand anything the teacher was saying.
Cuando era niño, entendía el francés pero no lo hablaba.
When I was a child, I understood French but I didn't speak it.
Ella entendía que la situación era difícil.
She understood that the situation was difficult.
When to use 'entendía'
Use this form when you're describing a past mental state that lasted for a while, like 'I understood the rules' (throughout the whole game).
Double Identity
This exact word works for both 'I' (yo) and 'he/she/you formal' (él/ella/usted). Context tells you who is doing the understanding!
Entendí vs. Entendía
Mistake: “Using 'entendí' to describe a general state of knowledge in the past.”
Correction: Use 'entendía' for ongoing understanding; 'entendí' is for the specific moment you 'got it' or had a lightbulb moment.
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