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misunderstand

intermediateB1

/ˌmɪs.ʌnd.ərˈstænd/ · mis-un-der-stand

to fail to understand something correctly.

Meanings

verbformal

to fail to understand something correctly.

کسی چیز کو صحیح طور پر نہ سمجھنا۔

غلط سمجھنا

ghalat samajhna

Formal: غلط فہمی کرنا

Synonyms

misinterpretmistakeconfuseغلط سمجھناغلط فہم کرناسمجھنے میں غلطی کرنا

Antonyms

understandcomprehendgraspسمجھناسمجھناقابو پانا

Common Collocations

  • misunderstand a message
  • misunderstand intentions
  • misunderstand a concept

Example Sentences

I think she misunderstood my intentions.

میرا خیال ہے کہ اس نے میری نیت کو غلط سمجھا۔

mera khayal hai ke us ne meri niyat ko ghalat samjha.

He often misunderstands jokes.

وہ اکثر مذاق کو غلط سمجھتا ہے۔

woh aksar mazaq ko ghalat samjhta hai.

Don't misunderstand me; I didn't mean to offend you.

میری بات کو غلط نہ سمجھیں؛ میں نے آپ کو تکلیف دینے کا ارادہ نہیں کیا۔

meri baat ko ghalat na samjhein; maine aap ko takleef dene ka irada nahi kiya.

Easily Confused With

misinterpret:Misinterpret specifically refers to the incorrect interpretation of something, whereas misunderstand can refer to failing to grasp overall meaning.

Word Family

misunderstanding
nounغلط فہمی
misunderstood
adjectiveغلط سمجھا ہوا

See Also

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 'mis' as 'miss' - you missed the point.

Imagine someone looking confused while reading a sign.

✍️ Urdu Poetry

محبت میں کچھ غلط سمجھنا بھی ہے کیا۔

mohabbat mein kuch ghalat samajhna bhi hai kya.

In love, is it even a mistake to misunderstand something?

Mirza Ghalib, Divan-e-Ghalib

* Poetry attribution is AI-generated and may require verification.

🗣️ Urdu Proverb

سمجھنے میں سب کچھ نہیں ہے غفلت شعار۔

samajhne mein sab kuch nahi hai ghaflat shaar.

Understanding is not everything; neglect is.

📖 Etymology

Origin: English "mis- + understand" — the prefix 'mis-' indicates wrongness

First known use: 14th century

The term combines the prefix 'mis-' meaning wrong and the verb 'understand', indicating a failure to accurately comprehend.