¿qué significa eso?
The Spanish phrase for "what does that mean?" is ¿qué significa eso?
A common conversational alternative is ¿qué quiere decir eso?, which uses the phrase querer decir (to want to say) to express the idea of meaning.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of qué (what), significa (means) and eso (that).
Which one should you use?
While ¿qué significa eso? is a standard way to ask, ¿qué quiere decir eso? is often used in conversational contexts to ask for a definition or clarification. Additionally, you should use esto instead of eso if you are referring to something physically close to you or something you are currently holding or showing.
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the distance of the object you are referring to, replace eso with esto to say "what does this mean?" when the object is close to you. You can also use the verbal construction ¿qué quiere decir eso? as a way to express "to mean".
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿qué quiere decir eso? can be used rhetorically to express disbelief or indignation rather than a request for a definition.
- The verb significar is used in Spanish to describe the importance of a person or event, such as saying someone 'means the world' to another.
- The word qué traces its lineage back to the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷid, which is also the ancestor of the English word 'what'.
Examples in context
- No entiendo, ¿qué significa eso?I don't understand, what does that mean?
Example conversation
Mateo and María are studying a book together.
- MateoMira esta palabra, es muy rara.Look at this word, it is very strange.
- María¿Qué significa eso?What does that mean?
- MateoNo lo sé, voy a buscarlo.I don't know, I am going to look it up.
- MaríaGracias, Mateo.Thank you, Mateo.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eso, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
