What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿qué quieres decir con eso? literally translates to "what do you want to say with that?"
Which one should you use?
While ¿qué quieres decir con eso? focuses on the meaning of the words, the alternative ¿a qué te refieres? focuses on the specific subject or thing being alluded to. Additionally, you can omit con eso and simply say ¿qué quieres decir? if the context of the previous statement is already clear.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico, the expression ¿Qué significa eso? is commonly used to mean "What does that mean?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form ¿qué quieres decir con eso? uses the tú conjugation, which is used with friends, family or people your age. To make the question polite or formal, use the third-person singular form quiere instead of quieres, as seen in ¿qué quiere decir con eso?
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿qué quieres decir con eso? with a sharp tone can be perceived as a direct challenge or a confrontation rather than a simple request for info.
- The verb decir in this phrase comes from a root meaning 'to show' or 'to point out' rather than just 'to speak'.
- While ¿qué quieres decir? is used for intent, Spanish speakers use the verb significar specifically for the definition of a word. You cannot use significar to ask about a person's personal intentions.
Examples in context
- No entiendo, ¿qué quieres decir con eso?I don't understand, what do you mean by that?
- Me confundes, ¿qué quieres decir con eso?You're confusing me, what do you mean by that?
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are discussing a mysterious text message.
- JavierParece que alguien te sigue.It looks like someone is following you.
- Elena¿Qué quieres decir con eso?What do you mean by that?
- JavierVi un coche negro cerca de tu casa.I saw a black car near your house.
- ElenaEso me da mucho miedo.That scares me a lot.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries con, decir, eso, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
