When you’re doing your best to speak with someone in a language you’re learning, it can be tough to admit that you don’t know something. But really, there’s no shame in conceding that you just don’t understand something. In fact, it’s a lot better to admit you don’t know what a word or sentence means rather than nod along and leave a conversation even more confused than when you went in. If you don’t want to jump right into asking if the person speaks English, you can first start with ‘I don’t understand.’ That way, your conversational partner will be able to adjust to help you out with whatever you need. Here’s how to say ‘I don’t understand’ in 10 different languages!
1. Spanish: No entiendo.
2. French: Je ne comprends pas.
3. German: Ich verstehe nicht.
4. Italian: Non capisco.
5. Portuguese: Eu não entendo.
6. Swedish: Jag förstår inte.
7. Indonesian: Saya tidak mengerti.
8. Russian: Я не понимаю. (Ya ne ponimayu.)
9. Dutch: Ik begrijp het niet.
10. Polish: Nie rozumiem.