Chinese phrase
我理解〜，但是〜 wǒ lí jiě 〜 dàn shì 〜
Meaning
I understand ___ but ___
When to use it
It shows understanding before stating a different concern. It can soften a disagreement or refusal while keeping the second point clear.
Example dialogue
我要请两天假。 wǒ yào qǐng liǎng tiān jiǎ
I would like to take two days off.
我理解你家里有事，但是这个项目这周必须交付。 wǒ lí jiě nǐ jiā lǐ yǒu shì dàn shì zhè ge xiàng mù zhè zhōu bì xū jiāo fù
I understand that you have a family matter, but this project has to be delivered this week.