As we know, a meme is an idea or picture, video, etc., often funny, that spreads very quickly on the Internet. It makes us laugh, inspires creativity, helps us learn about the peculiarities of our own (or someone else's) culture. Some memes appear, and over time they are forgotten. But not the phrase “At first I didn't understand, but then I understood.” Let's be honest, it has become a kind of meme classic. 2024 is already ending, and we still see posts on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram with this phrase. But where did the expression “At first I didn't understand, but then I understood” come from and what is the origin of the meme?
ContentAt first I didn't understand, but then I understood: the meaning of the meme and when it is usedAt first I didn't understand, but then I understood: the origin of the famous memeExamples of photos/videos with the meme “At first I didn't understand, but then I understood”
WomanEL understands that many will be interested to know where it all started, so we tried to figure it out.
At first I didn't understand, but then I understood: the meaning of a meme and when it is used
Before we find out when we started using this phrase, let's talk about its meaning. If you hear or see “At first I didn't understand, but then I understood”, it means that the interlocutor was inattentive and looked at the situation/picture, etc. quickly and superficially, understood everything differently than it really was. But during the second viewing/listening/thinking about the situation, he came to the right conclusions.
This phrase also calls on you, the reader and/or viewer, to be careful and not trust everything you see/hear.
Often the meme “At first I didn't understand, but then I understood” is used in pictures in the “optical illusion” section. You look at the photo and it seems that something supernatural is happening there: someone “appears” a third hand, someone takes unnatural poses, etc. For example:
How the cult meme appeared, Source: WomanEL + social networks
At first I didn't understand, but then I understood: the origin of a famous meme
In fact, it is practically impossible to find the original source of most memes. This is one of their main advantages – after all, it turns out that any person can express an opinion or emotion and not be afraid of being judged for it.
As for the meme “At first I didn't understand, but then I understood”, it is so old that there are even theories about its origin.
One of the most plausible theories is that the meme first appeared in its Russian version (I didn’t understand at first, but then I understood later) on Twitter and the Bashorg website over 9 years ago. If you haven’t heard of the second one, it’s a previously popular Runet quote book. Users added phrases (including “I didn’t understand at first, but then I understood later”), and then others voted for them in a special section called “Abyss.”
The phrases that were approved most often ended up on Bashorg's main page. And some of them later became iconic. As in the case of “At first I didn't understand, and then how I understood.” The phrase was so popular with Internet users that it began to be actively used in articles, videos, pictures, and in particular, it was translated into Ukrainian.
Photo memes “At first I didn't understand, and then how I understood”, Source: userapi.com
The second version is that the meme originated from a video in 2020, uploaded to YouTube by an ordinary user. The main character feels surprised, and then realizes the situation and comments: “At first I didn't understand, but then I understood.” But, firstly, this can be said about any meme, and secondly, the meme went viral much earlier.
Another theory, albeit unlikely, but quite interesting – that this meme was born thanks to the phrase “At first I didn’t understand, but then, when I did, I felt so happy.” As a user with the nickname NIKKI DIAVOL writes, it was said in the Soviet TV movie “Guest from the Future” in 1985. We watched the film, but we absolutely don’t remember who said this phrase (or whether he said it at all). If you know, write in the comments below.
Examples of photos/videos with the meme “At first I didn't understand, and then how understood”
The meme phenomenon “At first I didn't understand, but then I understood” remains a mystery. For many years now, the phrase has been considered viral on social networks. If earlier it was more often used to describe pictures, then in 2024 thousands of videos on this topic appear. Although this is not surprising: videos are generally more popular than images now.
Moreover, thanks to the phrase “At first I didn't understand, and then I understood,” other memes appeared: “At first I didn't understand, and then I didn't understand either” and “At first I was angry, then I didn't understand,” which, although less viral than the first option, are still occasionally found in various public places across the Internet.
And now we suggest watching a few funny videos on the topic “At first I didn't understand, and then I understood” on social networks in 2024. Perhaps they will inspire you to create your own masterpiece:
@krasylnyi
At first I didn't understand, but then I understood! 🤣 #krasylnyi #taxidriver #irony #humor #anecdotes #funny #blackhumor #recommendations
♬ original sound – Krasilny 🚕
@illyasergeevich
At first I didn't understand, but then I understood 😹 #coffee #barista #coffee machine #service sector #recommendations #rec #top #kyiv #kyiv #ukrainetiktok #ukraine #catering #fyp fyp> #foryou #joke #funny #humor #laughter
♬ Spooky, quiet, scary atmosphere piano songs – Skittlegirl Sound
Previously, we talked about why we say the word “kapets”, what it means and what its origin is.
