Please, check these sentences

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by Perikles

OK, but still in this context you would say "I understood" as a translation of "tengo entendido". Others may disagree, but I still think this could be a present subjunctive in English. It may be just politeness, and the English are always polite . Somebody has corrected you, and rather than assert that the person is wrong (which "I understand" implies) you give to understand that the person is right, even if you don't think so.

Are you sure that the English are always polite?

I don't understand your last sentence (should I say I didn't understand?)

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Are you sure that the English are always polite?

Well, the ones I associate with are, but hoi polloi can be quite rude.

Originally Posted by irmamar

I don't understand your last sentence (should I say I didn't understand?)

No, you should say "I don't understand". This is a different situation. Imagine a conversation such as:

A: I think President Obama is doing a good job.
B: But the President is George Bush
A: Oh - but I thought the President's name was Obama

Here, A is being polite. If he said "I think the President's name is Obama" this is a direct disagreement which could be considered impolite. He uses the past tense (or present subjunctive) to suggest a difference, rather than state it.

[irmamar]

OK, I understand. Now I don't understand what is hoi polloi.

And, well, I don't think that the English I've met in some places (for instance, in the beach) are very polite.

You are extremely polite, by the way.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

OK, I understand. Now I don't understand what is hoi polloi.

I'm surprised - Look here.

[irmamar]

Surprised?

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Are you sure that the English are always polite?

Only to people they don't like :P

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Surprised?

I thought you had learned some Greek.

Originally Posted by pjt33

Only to people they don't like :P