did I make myself understood?

Question

"Did I make myself understood?" ((when one wants to mean: "Did you understand me? Was I clear enough? Was what I said clear?" )) Is this sentence a common expression in English or does it sound strange?
Thank you.

A small note from Oxford.
One can say: He doesn't speak Japanese fluently, but he can MAKE HIMSELF UNDERSTOOD.
So probably it applies to LANGUAGES and the ability to speak them.

Answer 1

"Have I expressed it properly?" would be the gentlest way. Or perhaps "I hope I've expressed myself correctly?"
Of the proposed sentences, "Was what I said clear?" is probably the only acceptable one, as all the other sentences sound like an adult (or superior) scolding a child (or underling). In other words, they sound confrontational. At best people would laugh (because you are a foreigner and it sounds funny); at worst, they would be offended!

Answer 2

Funny, I always ask,"Do you understand what I said?"

Did you understand me? tends to leave an open-ended question just waiting for a nice leather shoe.

Was I clear enough? .....Were your parents glassmakers?

Was what I said clear? .....I didn't realize that words could take physical form.

And, of course, Did I make myself understood? is simply hysterical.

Answer 3

It's a bit awkward. It's something a teacher/parent might say to a group of children. It's very condescending if spoken to another adult.

Answer 4

It's common enough. Not as common as, "you get it?" or simply saying "got it?" or "understand?" Americans are all about CASUAL when it comes to language.

My mom used to say "Do I make myself clear?" when she was getting after us about something!

Answer 5

"Did I make myself understood?" is awkward and unfamiliar. No, it is not a "common English expression."

It would be more common to say, "Did you understand me?"

Answer 6

yea thats fine except some Americans may think its rude