Ok, so to clear this up. Want to improve this question? "Comprehend" also has a few other minor meanings which are just incidental (and irrelevant). Isn't "2+2" correct when answering 'What is "2+2"'? Comprehend seems more "comprehensive" --I would describe it as a deeper and more complete level of understanding. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply. GCSE AQA English Language RESIT Paper 1 4th November 2019, Edexcel GCSE English language (1EN0) - Paper 1 Fiction & Imaginative - 4 June, 2019. So the first sentence should read something like: “I can’t grasp the meaning/essence/main idea of the book”. Exactly the same meaning, only different etymologically. This spell doesn’t decode secret messages in a text or a glyph, such as an arcane sigil, that isn’t part of a written language We're sorry. Comprehend means to understand something or to absorb something mentally. would people still be religious if religions didn't promote the idea of an afterlife? Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. I also see comprehend as dealing more with ability, the mental capacity to grasp something. For the purposes of this exercise, always use "comprehend" for "understand." to take in or embrace; include; comprise. Comprehend definition, to understand the nature or meaning of; grasp with the mind; perceive: He did not comprehend the significance of the ambassador's remark. I'm reminded of the Biblical "the light shone in the darkness, and the darkness did not, What is the difference between “comprehend” and “understand”? "grasp" is somewhat specialized, being a figurative use of "grasp". You must be signed in to continue. "Comprehend" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "comprender", and "understand" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "entender". What is the difference between a scenario and situation? How to make non-linear movements with a Follow Path constraint? Something that is incomprehensible is due to the inability or limitation of the subject. 'claim' belongs to command verbs for base subjunctive? What's the verdicts on hub-less circle bicycle wheels? Question answered here: There is a wealth of nuance in the etymology of understand & comprehend, especially when you compare the two completely different word pictures the words evoke. Verb ()* 1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , IV.1: And lothly mouth, unmeete a mouth to bee, / That nought but gall and venim comprehended […]. The noun form, "apprehension," means a foreboding or … "I received your note, but I did not understand it. What is the word used to express "investigating someone without their knowledge"? How do I know which exam board to pick for UCAS apply, DWP Work Coach vacancies July & Sept 2020, AQA GCSE English Language Exam 8700 Paper 1,2 2nd, 4th Nov 2020 - Exam Discussion, GCSE AQA English Language Paper 1 and 2 - 4th/7th June 2019 [Exam Discussion]. For example, "comprehend" is in the highest register of the four. You can personalise what you see on TSR. I was paying attention in class but I just didn't understand. My fifteen-year-old daughter can understand even the most complex math problems. "understand" is the most neutral. However, note that it depends on what you mean by lesson: if you're talking about a lesson as in school, this would make sense, however if you are speaking of a lesson as in he's learned his lesson this wouldn't be appropriate. How would Earth turn into debris drifting through space without everything at its surface being destroyed? Thus this thread is a little freaky. Get help from university application experts, © Copyright The Student Room 2017 all rights reserved. Exactly the same meaning, only different etymologically. First let us try to comprehend what each term denotes. English literature 30 mark essay grade boundaries, Struggling to make your uni choices? Because using a particular language is "pretentious" ?! He lived in Paris for three years and still doesn't understand a word of French. Seize the opportunity! SpanishDict is the world's most popular Spanish-English dictionary, translation, and learning website. Comprehend is a verb that originates from the Latin word Learn more about the difference between "comprehend" and "understand" below. I would say that they're more or less the same, however used in different contexts. To understand or grasp fully and thoroughly. We may apprehend many truths which we do not comprehend. I would say understand can be applied much more widely, whereas I might only use comprehend when linking it in with language, being reading or listening. Engineering comprehends different disciplines. Comprehend seems more "comprehensive" --I would describe it as a deeper and more complete level of understanding. that is not explicitly stated. Is there a puzzle that is only solvable by assuming there is a unique solution? We have a brilliant team of more than 60 Support Team members looking after discussions on The Student Room, helping to make it a fun, safe and useful place to hang out. doesn't quite make sense for me; I would say that the differences are solely contextual. Why is it wrong to answer a question with a tautology? What is the difference between “Change we can believe in” and “Change we can believe in tomorrow’”? Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Learn more about the difference between "comprehend" and "understand" below. What is the difference between “justice served” and “justice given”? See Wiktionary Terms of Use for details. From what I understand, she got divorced. English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. In terms of French, I either know what the words mean or I don't, it's (arguably) not a conceptual leap. [closed], Creating new Help Center documents for Review queues: Project overview, Feature Preview: New Review Suspensions Mod UX. that is not explicitly stated. you might not approve of stealing, but you could. "Comprehend" has roots in Latin, "understand" has roots in German. Difference between “Being Of” and “Being About”. What is the difference between “universal” and “generic”? I think that, basically, comprehend indicates a deeper understanding, but, unless the two are used side-by-side in conversation or text, there is no discernable difference. English Language (9-1) Creative Writing Examples! I've always thought that "comprehend" was a slightly less common way of saying "understand". Because of this "arrangement" in which the two languages used by the Norman French were found in high society, and Anglo-Saxon was used by the low society, the peasants, this "prejudice" still exists today. As verbs the difference between comprehend and understand is that comprehend is while understand is to be aware of the meaning of.