Modern German Grammar: A Practical Guide, Second Edition

(b) Alternatively nicht verstehen or nicht mit*bekommen can be used:

(Es tut mir Leid.) Das habe ich nicht verstanden.

(I am sorry.) I didn’t understand that.

Das habe ich nicht (ganz) mitbekommen.

I didn’t (quite) get that.

Nicht mit*bekommen can also imply that the listener did not properly hear what was

said, e.g. because of intruding noise.

(c) In colloquial German mit*kriegen is found for mit*bekommen; and schalten,

schnallen and (etwas) kapieren are also used, with the meaning ‘to twig’:

Hast du das mitgekriegt?

Did you get that?

Ich kapiere (schalte) (schnalle) heute schlecht. (informal)

I’m a bit slow today.

Das habe ich nicht kapiert (nicht mitgekriegt). (informal)

I didn’t get that/I didn’t twig.

(d) If the listener realizes that he or she has misunderstood something, he or she can

signal this with Ach so! or Ach so, ja! ‘I see!’:

Er ist krank? Ach so! Das habe ich nicht gewusst (nicht

mitbekommen).

He is ill? Oh I see! I didn’t know that. (I didn’t get that.)

117.4 There are a number of ways in which the listener can check that he or she has
understood exactly what the other person means:

jmdn. oder etw. richtig verstehen ‘to understand sb. or sth. correctly’

Wie meinen Sie das? ‘What do you mean?’

Was wollen Sie damit sagen? ‘What are you trying to say?’

These expressions can also be used to challenge or correct what someone has said. The

more abrupt and challenging expressions for doing this are listed in points (d) and (e).

(a) Using richtig verstehen

Habe ich Sie richtig verstanden?

Have I understood you correctly?

(b) Using a construction with meinen ‘to mean, intend’

Wie meinen Sie das (genau)?

What do you mean (exactly)?

Ich weiß nicht, was Sie (damit) meinen.

I don’t know what you mean (by that).

(c) Using a construction with wollen ‘to intend’

Was wollen Sie damit sagen?

What are you trying to say?

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