No, you can’t use the literal translation; the ways to render “understand” are several, and you can make use of the literal translation of “understand” if is somewhat modified; here below are a few means of doing that.

Specifically your translation

• D’après ce que je comprends … (when the context implies that hearsay is the origin; however, after a somewhat unclear explanation someone has just given you, it’s perfectly correct to use this expression so as to tell them that you think you understood their meaning.)
  ex. D’après ce je comprends vous ne viendrez plus travailler le samedi, est-ce correct ?

• Si je comprends bien, … (same remark as above)

• On m’a laissé entendre que …

• D’après ce que j’ai entendu dire …
• Je crois savoir d’après ce que [disent les gens/ dit untel] que

It is not explicit anymore that what you know is due to the fact that people are talking about it; it might be the product of your thinking as well.

• Je crois comprendre qu’il y a un autre moyen de faire cela ; c’est vrai ?
• Il semblerait (être le cas) (d’après ce que je comprends) que …
• Si je comprends bien, il y a autre moyen de faire cela.
• Je crois savoir que …