分かる・わかる

Verb (Group 1) (Basic ㊦ 529)

Can figure out (spontaneously) various facts –such as content, nature, value, meaning, cause, reason, result– about something whose existence is presupposed.

Equivalent: Be comprehensible; understand; can tell; figure out

私（に）はこの言葉が分からない・分かりません。: To me this word is not comprehensible. / I don’t understand this word.
私にはこの映画の意味が分からない。: I don't understand the meaning of this movie.
この問題は難しくて分からない。: This problem is too difficult to understand.
明日までにこの仕事が出来るかどうか分かりません。: I can't tell if I can finish this work by tomorrow.
A:田中さんを知っていますか。 B:ええ、知っていますが、あの人はどうもよく分かりません。: A: Do you know Mr. Tanaka? B: Yes, I know him, but he is somehow incomprehensible to me.

Notes

1. The basic pattern for this verb is the は～が pattern. (⇨ は~が) The experiencer of 分かる takes に optionally, as in Key Sentence.

2. Because 分かる is already a potential verb, it cannot take the potential form 分かれる 'can understand'.

3. 分かる normally takes が to indicate the object of comprehension, but must take を when 'non-spontaneous comprehension' is involved, as in causative sentences (1a) or sentences in which the experiencer makes a conscious effort to understand something (1b).

a. 親の死を/*が小さい子供に分からせるのは難しい。
It is hard to make a small child comprehend the death of a parent.

b. ジャックはリンダの気持ちを/*が分かろうとしない。
Jack does not try to understand Linda's feelings.

【Related Expression】

分かる indicates 'the process of figuring sometning out' and is different from 知る which basically means 'to get some raw information from some outside source'. The primary difference between the two verbs is illustrated in the following sentences:

[1]

友達に間いて大野の結婚のことを知っていた/*が分かっていた。
I knew about Ono's marriage by hearing it from a friend.

[2]

よく考えれば分かります/*知りますよ。
If you think hard, you'll understand/*know it.

[3]

A: いくらか分かりますか。
Can you tell how much it is?

B: はい、調べれば分かります/*知ります。
Yes, I can tell/*know it, if I check into it.

[4]

A: 今晚何をするつもりですか。
What do you intend to do tonight?

B: まだ分かリません/*知りません。
I don't know yet.