One thing I couldn’t help but notice about how people at my university communicate is their tendency to conclude explanations with, “Does it make sense to you?” instead of “Do you understand?”. Now, imagine a good-looking young lecturer teaching data visualization. He finishes the lecture, smiles, and asks, “Does it make sense to you?” Nah, forget the visuals on Power BI—his visual is far more interesting. And yes, it does make sense. Oh, wait—actually, no, it doesn’t. Could you explain it again? I’m not exactly a diligent student, but I wouldn’t mind listening to you for hours *wink.

LoL, just kidding! That’s just my random imagination running wild in a K-drama setting. Let’s get back on track before you ask me how to enroll in the “My Lecturer is Handsome” class. Sorry, but I’m keeping that a secret. :p

Jokes aside, here I’ve been asked “Does this make sense to you?” countless times as a way to confirm whether the message was delivered clearly. But it wasn’t until recently, in a particularly technical course, that I fully registered its impact. The lecturer caught the confusion written all over our faces: blank stares, silent bewilderment. Instead of rushing ahead, he smiled patiently and said, “Does it make sense to you? I can repeat if it doesn’t.” There was no judgment in his tone, just a genuine willingness to ensure we understood.

YES PLEASE! This dumb student right here lost her sense because of your sweet smile the difficult material *I am back with that “my lecturer is handsome” joke *If any production house wants to turn this into a movie, please cast Nicholas Saputra as the lecturer. Thank you.

That question, while touching on the same thing, made me feel so different from “Do you understand?” which I usually heard. Whilst “Do you understand?” puts the emphasis on the ability of the listener to comprehend, “Does it make sense to you?” emphasizes the communicator’s effectiveness in delivering the message. I found it as a more respectful approach to verify, which I appreciate highly. This subtle (yes, I told you I love subtlety) shift in wording is beautiful, isn’t it?

Words matter. The phrase “Do you understand?” can sometimes feel condescending, as if the speaker is testing the listener’s intelligence. Not that I dislike the phrase, but now that I’ve found a more considerate alternative, I’d rather use it. “Does it make sense to you?” conveys a sense of shared responsibility in communication—it acknowledges that clarity is the speaker’s duty too. That small shift from “Can you understand my message?” to “Can my message be understood?” has changed the way I think about word choice.

I’m once again reminded of how small adjustments in language can create a big impact. Words shape not only meaning but also the emotions they evoke. Between those two phrases, one makes me feel more open to admitting confusion. That class made me realize how crucial it is to be mindful of my wording—because communication isn’t just about what we say, but how we say it. Moving forward, I want to be more intentional with my words to communicate more effectively.  

Now, the real question is… should I be just as intentional about the gorgeous lecturer? Never mind—ignore my crazy self. Hihi. I know this random imagination doesn’t make sense. Does it make sense to you? :)

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Images credit: manfredsteger at Pixabay