Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "わかります" vs "掛ける"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
わかります
わかります (wakarimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
掛ける
かける (kakeru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both わかります and 掛ける are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
わかります (わかります (wakarimasu)) represents "to understand" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of わかる. Indicates comprehension. Often used with particle が..
On the other hand, 掛ける (かける (kakeru)) translates to "to hang, to put on (glasses), to make (a call)" (Level: N4) and is used for A versatile verb with many uses. Common meanings include 'to wear'. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "わかります"
英語がわかります。
I understand English.
Bilingual Sentence for "掛ける"
毎日、眼鏡を掛けて新聞を読みます。
Every day, I put on my glasses and read the newspaper.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "英語が ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I understand English.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "わかります" fits here because it represents "to understand" in the context: "I understand English.".