Translation guide
How to express that something is comprehended, grasped, or gets across in Japanese. The most natural choice depends on whether you mean 'I understand', 'it is understood (by people)', or 'make oneself understood'.
気持ちが伝わった。
My feelings were understood.
自分の言いたいことが伝えられなかった。
I couldn't make myself understood.
Expressing that a message, meaning, or idea is comprehended by a listener or reader.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be conveyed', 'to be understood'. Focuses on the message successfully reaching the other person. Very common and natural.
私の気持ちが彼に伝わった。
My feelings were understood by him.
言いたいことは伝わりましたか？
Did what I wanted to say get across?
Passive form of 'understand'. More direct and formal than 伝わる. Often used in written or formal contexts.
彼の意見は正しく理解されなかった。
His opinion was not correctly understood.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be understood', 'to get through'. Often used for language comprehension or when a point gets across.
私の英語は通じましたか？
Did my English get through? / Was my English understood?
冗談が通じなかった。
My joke didn't get across.
Potential form of わかる with もらう, meaning 'can get someone to understand'. Emphasizes the speaker's desire or effort to be understood.
どうしてもわかってもらえなかった。
I just couldn't get them to understand.
Expressing that something is common knowledge, accepted, or implicitly agreed upon.
Pattern meaning 'it is understood that...'. Formal and suitable for stating accepted facts or interpretations.
この規則は変更できないと理解されている。
It is understood that this rule cannot be changed.
Pattern meaning 'it is understood/arranged that...'. Implies a shared understanding or convention, often without explicit statement.
ここでは靴を脱ぐということになっている。
It is understood that you take off your shoes here.
Noun phrase meaning 'tacit understanding'. Used for unspoken agreements or implicit knowledge.
それは暗黙の了解だ。
That's an unspoken understanding.
Expressing the act of successfully communicating one's ideas, especially in a foreign language or difficult situation.
Literally 'convey what one wants to say'. The most natural way to express 'make oneself understood' in Japanese.
日本語で自分の言いたいことを伝えるのは難しい。
It's hard to make myself understood in Japanese.
Formal phrase meaning 'to try to communicate one's intentions'. Used in business or serious contexts.
会議では意思疎通を図ることが大切だ。
It's important to make yourself understood in meetings.
In casual conversation, you might describe the method: ジェスチャーで伝える (convey with gestures) or 簡単な言葉で説明する (explain with simple words).
言葉が通じないときは、ジェスチャーで伝えます。
When words don't get through, I make myself understood with gestures.
伝わる focuses on the message naturally reaching someone (often emotional). 通じる is often used for language or logical understanding. 理解される is more formal and direct, like 'is comprehended'.
Direct translations like 理解される can sound stiff or unnatural in casual speech. Use 伝わる or 通じる for everyday situations.
私の言ったこと、伝わった？
Did you get what I said?