Mat 13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

In the Greek, Christ refers to his teachings very humbly, but the real difference here is in the words translated as "parables" and "understand." "Parables" is just Greek word for analogies and "understand" is the Greek for "putting things together."

Alternate version: Therefore I chat about this to them in analogies because looking they do not see and hearing they do not listen and they cannot put it all together.

There is a word, touto, that isn't translated here. It means "this" or "that." It follows the Greek for "therefore" and is the object of Christ's speaking.

"Speak" is laleô, which is a less serious form of "to talk" more like "to chat" or "to prattle."

"Parables" is from parabolê, which means "comparison," "illustration," and "analogy."

"To see" is from blepô, which means "to look" and "to see." It is the more tangible sense of seeing, such as seeing what is right in front of you rather than understanding.

"Understand" is from suniêmi, which means "to bring together" or "to set together." It is also a metaphor for "perceive," "hear," and "understand" as we would say that we "put it all together" when figuring something out.