Modern Spanish Grammar: A Practical Guide

Making sure you understand and are understood 30.4–¿Vas a ir a la universidad?‘Are you going to the university?’–¿Cómo?,Sorry?–Que si vas a ir a la universidad.‘Are you going to the university?’Note that si, ‘if’, ‘whether’, is not used with questions beginning with interrogativewords such as ¿cómo?, ‘how’?, ¿cuándo?, ‘when’:–¿Cuándo va a volver?‘When is he/she going to come back?’–¿Cómo has dicho/dijiste?‘Sorry, what did you say?’–Que cuándo va a volver.‘When is he/she going to come back?’With imperatives simply use que:–No tardes mucho.‘Don’t take long!’–¿Cómo?‘Sorry?’–Que no tardes mucho.‘Don’t take long!’ 18.3.1 (p. 91)30.430.4.1Making sure you understand and are understoodIf you need to apologize for your Spanish, either because you cannot understandwhat is being said or because you cannot express yourself properly, you can usephrases like the following, with the verbs entender, ‘to understand’, and hablar, ‘tospeak’.Perdóneme (usted)/perdóname, pero no (le/te) entiendo.I’m sorry, but I don’t understand (you).Discúlpeme (usted)/discúlpame, pero no entiendo/hablo muy bienel español.I’m sorry, but I do not understand/speak Spanish very well.Note that when reference is to language or to something being said, most speakers willuse entender rather than comprender, ‘to understand’.Comprender, much less common than entender, is generally used with reference tomore abstract things. Consider these examples:No entiendo lo que dices.I don’t understand what you are saying.¿Entiendes mi letra?Do you understand my handwriting?No comprendo tu actitud.I don’t understand your attitude.173