A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "What does that mean" in Spanish
Ask for clarification when you don't understand something in Spanish.
¿Qué significa eso?
keh sig-nee-FEE-kah EH-sohneutral
Spanish TTS · 0:01
Use this when someone says something you don't understand, or when you see a word or phrase you don't recognize. It's a polite way to ask for an explanation.
Alternatives
- ¿Qué quiere decir?Slightly more common in some regions, also very neutral.
- ¿Cómo?More casual, often used when you didn't hear something, not necessarily didn't understand.
Ways to get it wrong
Confusing 'significa' with 'signal'
'Significa' means 'means,' not 'signals' or 'signs.'
Forgetting the question marks
Spanish questions start with an inverted question mark (¿) and end with a regular one (?).
A small cultural note
Directly asking for clarification is perfectly acceptable and expected when learning a language.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between 'significa' and 'quiere decir'?
Both mean 'what does it mean' and are largely interchangeable. 'Significa' is more direct, while 'quiere decir' is like asking 'what does it want to say?'
How do I ask what a specific word means?
You can say '¿Qué significa [word]?' or '¿Qué quiere decir [word]?' For example, '¿Qué significa 'mesa'?'
Is it rude to ask '¿Qué significa eso?' too often?
Not at all, especially when you're learning. It shows you're engaged and want to understand. Just be mindful of the context and your tone.
How do you ask what something means in Spanish?
You can ask '¿Qué significa eso?' which translates to 'What does that mean?'.
What does 'qué es esto' mean?
'¿Qué es esto?' means 'What is this?' in Spanish.
What does 'qué es este' mean?
'¿Qué es este?' also means 'What is this?' in Spanish, but is used when 'this' is a masculine noun.
How to ask 'What does that mean' in Spanish?
The most common way to ask 'What does that mean?' in Spanish is '¿Qué significa eso?'.
