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A2 verb #6,000 le plus courant 1 min de lecture

desentender

Top 6,000

When you're learning Portuguese, you'll find that words don't always translate directly. Take desentender, for example. It's an A2 level verb, meaning you should be able to understand and use it in simple situations.

Essentially, desentender means to misunderstand or to disagree with someone. It's a useful word for expressing when there's a lack of understanding or a difference of opinion. You'll often see it used to describe a disagreement between people.

When you're trying to communicate, sometimes things can go awry. The verb desentender is what you'd use to describe situations where there's a misunderstanding or a disagreement between people. It implies a lack of understanding or a conflict in opinions.

Entraîne-toi Exemples

§ Don't Confuse with "Não Entender"

Many English speakers learning Portuguese automatically translate "to misunderstand" as "não entender." While "não entender" (to not understand) is perfectly valid, it doesn't always carry the same nuance as "desentender."

"Não entender"

Simply means a lack of comprehension. You didn't grasp the information.

Eu não entendi a pergunta. (I didn't understand the question.)

"Desentender"

Implies a more specific kind of misunderstanding, often leading to disagreement or a breakdown in communication.

Nós nos desentendemos sobre os planos. (We misunderstood/disagreed about the plans.)

§ Using "Desentender-se" Reflexively

The verb "desentender" is very often used in its reflexive form, "desentender-se." This is crucial for expressing mutual misunderstanding or disagreement between people.

If you just say "Eu desentendi," it sounds incomplete or might imply you misunderstood something abstract. When two or more people are involved in a misunderstanding or disagreement, the reflexive form is almost always what you want.

Eles se desentenderam por causa de um detalhe. (They misunderstood/disagreed because of a detail.)

Não quero que nos desentendamos novamente. (I don't want us to misunderstand/disagree again.)

§ Misusing Prepositions

When using "desentender-se" to talk about *what* the disagreement or misunderstanding was about, you'll typically use specific prepositions. Common mistakes involve using the wrong one, or omitting it.

You'll often see "sobre" (about) or "por causa de" (because of) following "desentender-se."

Correct:
Eles se desentenderam sobre política. (They disagreed about politics.)
Incorrect (common mistake):
Eles se desentenderam política. (This doesn't make sense.)

§ Not Conveying the "Dispute" Aspect

While "desentender" can mean simply to misunderstand, it very frequently implies a quarrel, argument, or a falling out. If you need to express a simple, non-confrontational misunderstanding, other verbs might be more appropriate.

For example, if someone said something quickly and you didn't quite catch it, you'd probably say "Não entendi o que você disse" (I didn't understand what you said) rather than using "desentender." "Desentender-se" usually brings with it a sense of friction.

Os irmãos se desentenderam e não se falam há semanas. (The siblings had a falling out and haven't spoken for weeks.)

§ Understanding "desentender"

The Portuguese verb "desentender" (pronounced dee-zen-ten-DEHR) is a useful word to add to your vocabulary, especially when discussing communication or disagreements. It can mean both "to misunderstand" and "to disagree," depending on the context. Let's break down how to use it.

Definition: To misunderstand, disagree.

§ Conjugation of "desentender"

"Desentender" is a regular verb ending in -er. Here's its conjugation in the present tense:

Eu desentendo (I misunderstand/disagree)
Tu desentes (You misunderstand/disagree - informal)
Ele/Ela/Você desentende (He/She/You misunderstand/disagree - formal/singular)
Nós desentendemos (We misunderstand/disagree)
Vós desentendeis (You misunderstand/disagree - informal plural, rarely used)
Eles/Elas/Vocês desentendem (They/You misunderstand/disagree - plural)

§ Using "desentender" for Misunderstanding

When you want to say that you didn't understand something correctly, "desentender" is a good choice. It implies a failure in comprehension, often due to a lack of clarity or a different interpretation.

Acho que desentendemos o combinado. (I think we misunderstood what was agreed.)

Ele desentendeu minhas instruções. (He misunderstood my instructions.)

§ Using "desentender" for Disagreement

When people "desentendem-se" (the reflexive form), it means they have a disagreement or a falling out. It can refer to a simple difference of opinion or a more serious quarrel. The reflexive pronoun (se) is crucial here.

Eles sempre se desentendem por causa de política. (They always disagree because of politics.)

Eu e meu irmão nos desentendemos sobre o presente para nossa mãe. (My brother and I disagreed about the present for our mother.)

§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives

While "desentender" is versatile, other words can express similar ideas with slightly different nuances. Understanding these alternatives will help you choose the most precise word for your context.

Não entender (not to understand): This is a very direct and general way to say you didn't understand something. It's more about lack of comprehension rather than misinterpretation.

Eu não entendi a pergunta. (I didn't understand the question.)

Use "não entender" when you simply didn't grasp the meaning. Use "desentender" when you understood something, but incorrectly, leading to a misinterpretation or a different conclusion than intended.

Discordar (to disagree): This verb is also used for disagreement, but it often implies a difference of opinion on a specific topic. "Desentender-se" can be more general, referring to a broader falling out or misunderstanding that leads to friction.

Eu discordo da sua opinião. (I disagree with your opinion.)

You would use "discordar" when you want to express a formal or direct disagreement with someone's viewpoint. "Desentender-se" focuses more on a breakdown in harmony or a general misunderstanding between people that creates a rift.

Confundir (to confuse, to mix up): While related to misunderstanding, "confundir" typically means to mistake one thing for another or to be confused. It's less about misinterpreting a message and more about a general state of confusion or making an error in identification.

Eu confundi as datas. (I mixed up the dates.)

When you are talking about making a mistake due to mental mix-up, "confundir" is the right word. If the issue is about misunderstanding what someone said or meant, leading to a different interpretation, then "desentender" is more appropriate.

In summary, use "desentender" when there's a specific misinterpretation of something said or agreed upon, or when two people are having a general falling out. For simple lack of comprehension, use "não entender." For direct opposition of ideas, "discordar" is better. And for mixing things up or general confusion, "confundir" is the go-to verb. By mastering these distinctions, you'll communicate much more clearly in Portuguese.

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 1/5

short

Écriture 1/5

short

Expression orale 1/5

short

Écoute 1/5

short

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

entender não sobre disse

Apprends ensuite

concordar explicar discutir

Avancé

mal-entendido divergência desacordo

Exemples par niveau

Eu desentendi o que ele disse.

I misunderstood what he said.

Nós desentendemos sobre o plano.

We disagreed about the plan.

Por que você desentendeu minha pergunta?

Why did you misunderstand my question?

Eles frequentemente desentendem um ao outro.

They often misunderstand each other.

Acho que houve um desentendimento.

I think there was a misunderstanding.

Here 'desentendimento' is the noun form.

É fácil desentender instruções complexas.

It's easy to misunderstand complex instructions.

Não quero desentender com você.

I don't want to disagree with you.

Ela desentendeu o significado da palavra.

She misunderstood the meaning of the word.

Eu desentendi o que ele quis dizer com aquela frase.

I misunderstood what he meant by that sentence.

Past tense of 'desentender', referring to a past misunderstanding.

Parece que nos desentendemos sobre os planos para o fim de semana.

It seems we disagreed about the weekend plans.

Reflexive form, indicating mutual misunderstanding or disagreement.

Eles se desentenderam por causa de uma pequena diferença de opinião.

They disagreed because of a small difference of opinion.

Reflexive form, emphasizing disagreement between two parties.

É fácil desentender as instruções se não as lermos com atenção.

It's easy to misunderstand the instructions if we don't read them carefully.

Infinitive form, used in a general statement about misunderstanding.

Não quero desentender o motivo da sua decisão, então pode explicar melhor?

I don't want to misunderstand the reason for your decision, so can you explain better?

Infinitive form, expressing a desire to avoid misunderstanding.

Depois de muita conversa, eles conseguiram desfazer o desentendimento.

After much talking, they managed to clear up the misunderstanding.

Here, 'desentendimento' is the noun form of 'desentender', meaning 'misunderstanding' or 'disagreement'.

O professor explicou novamente para que ninguém desentenda a matéria.

The teacher explained again so that no one misunderstands the material.

Subjunctive form, indicating a purpose or desire to prevent misunderstanding.

Às vezes, as pessoas desentendem o silêncio como desinteresse.

Sometimes, people misunderstand silence as disinterest.

Present tense, describing a common occurrence of misunderstanding.

Eles desentenderam-se sobre a melhor forma de resolver o problema, e a discussão durou horas.

They disagreed about the best way to solve the problem, and the discussion lasted hours.

Here, 'desentenderam-se' is the reflexive form, meaning 'they disagreed with each other'.

Apesar de se desentenderem sobre pequenos detalhes, o casal sempre encontrava um meio-termo.

Despite disagreeing on small details, the couple always found a middle ground.

'se desentenderem' is another reflexive form, indicating a mutual disagreement.

Temo que haja um desentendimento fundamental entre as partes envolvidas, o que dificulta o progresso.

I fear there's a fundamental misunderstanding between the involved parties, which hinders progress.

'desentendimento' is the noun form, meaning 'misunderstanding' or 'disagreement'.

Foi um desentendimento momentâneo, mas quase arruinou a nossa amizade de longa data.

It was a momentary misunderstanding, but it almost ruined our long-standing friendship.

Again, 'desentendimento' as a noun.

Não quero que você desentenda minhas intenções; estou apenas tentando ser útil.

I don't want you to misunderstand my intentions; I'm just trying to be helpful.

Here, 'desentenda' is the subjunctive form, used after verbs like 'não quero que' (I don't want that you...).

Houve um grande desentendimento entre os diretores da empresa, levando a mudanças significativas na gestão.

There was a big disagreement among the company directors, leading to significant management changes.

Another use of 'desentendimento' as a noun.

Por favor, não se desentenda com ela; a comunicação clara é essencial neste projeto.

Please don't misunderstand her; clear communication is essential in this project.

'não se desentenda' is a negative command in the reflexive form, meaning 'don't misunderstand each other' or 'don't disagree'.

É comum que colegas de trabalho desentendam-se sobre abordagens diferentes, mas o respeito mútuo deve prevalecer.

It's common for co-workers to disagree on different approaches, but mutual respect must prevail.

'desentendam-se' is the reflexive form in the subjunctive, indicating a common occurrence or possibility.

Modèles grammaticaux

reflexive verb: 'se desentender' (to disagree with each other) transitive verb: 'desentender algo' (to misunderstand something) past tense conjugation (e.g., 'desentendi', 'desentendeu') present tense conjugation (e.g., 'desentendo', 'desentende') use with prepositions like 'sobre' (about) for disagreements negation with 'não' before the verb

Expressions idiomatiques

"Não entendi nada."

I didn't understand anything.

O professor falou muito rápido e eu não entendi nada.

neutral

"Ficar em desacordo."

To be in disagreement.

Eles ficaram em desacordo sobre o preço do carro.

neutral

"Houve um mal-entendido."

There was a misunderstanding.

Acho que houve um mal-entendido entre nós.

neutral

"Não nos entendemos."

We didn't understand each other / We disagreed.

Tentamos conversar, mas não nos entendemos.

neutral

"Desentender-se com alguém."

To fall out with someone / To have a disagreement with someone.

Ele desentendeu-se com o chefe e saiu da empresa.

neutral

"Entender as coisas erradas."

To get things wrong / To misunderstand things.

Ela sempre entende as coisas erradas, por isso é bom explicar bem.

neutral

"Não se dar bem."

To not get along well (often implies disagreement).

Meus irmãos não se dão bem.

informal

"Ter opiniões divergentes."

To have differing opinions.

Eles têm opiniões divergentes sobre política.

formal

"Não bater."

To not match / To not make sense (often used when information disagrees).

As datas que ele me deu não batem com o que eu ouvi.

informal

"Dar-se mal."

To get on badly / To have a bad relationship (often due to disagreements).

Eles se dão mal desde a discussão.

neutral

Structures de phrases

Eu desentendi [something].

Eu desentendi a pergunta. (I misunderstood the question.)

Nós nos desentendemos sobre [topic].

Nós nos desentendemos sobre o plano. (We disagreed about the plan.)

É fácil desentender [someone's intentions].

É fácil desentender as intenções dele. (It's easy to misunderstand his intentions.)

Houve um desentendimento entre [person] e [person].

Houve um desentendimento entre os irmãos. (There was a disagreement between the siblings.)

Teste-toi 18 questions

multiple choice A2

Choose the best translation for 'desentender':

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : To misunderstand

'Desentender' means to misunderstand or disagree. 'Entender' means to understand.

multiple choice A2

Which sentence uses 'desentender' correctly?

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Eu desentendi a sua pergunta.

The sentence 'Eu desentendi a sua pergunta' means 'I misunderstood your question'. The other options do not convey misunderstanding.

multiple choice A2

If two people 'se desentenderam', what happened?

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : They disagreed

'Se desentenderam' is the reflexive form, meaning they had a disagreement or fell out.

true false A2

If you 'desentender' someone, you agree with them.

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Faux

'Desentender' means to misunderstand or disagree, not to agree.

true false A2

You can use 'desentender' when you don't understand something clearly.

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Vrai

'Desentender' is often used when there is a lack of clear understanding.

true false A2

The word 'desentender' is related to 'entender' (to understand).

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Vrai

'Desentender' has the prefix 'des-' which often indicates the opposite of the root word, in this case, 'entender' (to understand).

listening B1

What did they disagree about?

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Eles se desentenderam sobre a nova regra.