What is the meaning of 'Mean' in English?

The easiest way to understand 'Mean' in English is through the 15 contextual sentences on this page.

How do I use 'Mean' in a sentence?

Review the examples provided to see how 'Mean' translates to English in real conversation.

Meaning of 'Mean' in English | Spanish to English

Last Updated: July 5, 2026

Level: B2 Upper

Meaning of 'Mean' in English | Spanish to English

⏱️ 3 min read

🗣️ Translation & Context: Looking for the English meaning or translation of the Spanish word 'Mean'? Memorizing flat dictionary definitions is slow. Read the Spanish to English examples below, check your pronunciation, and play the interactive games to master it instantly.

🚀 Key Takeaways & Fast Facts

Dictionary Entry: Essential usages of 'Mean'.
Verified Footprint: 537 active tokens in this module.
Study Commitment: Approximately 3 minutes of required focus.
Difficulty Range: Adaptive (B2 Upper).
Interactive Assets: Native TTS Audio, Quizzes, and Gamification enabled.

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I didn't mean to hurt you.	No quise herirlo.
What do you mean you don't know?!	¡¿Cómo que no sabes?!
It doesn't mean anything!	¡Eso no significa nada!
I didn't mean to hurt you.	No quería hacerte daño.
I don't know what you mean.	No sé qué quieres decir.
I know what you mean.	Sé lo que quieres decir.
It doesn't mean anything!	¡Eso no quiere decir nada!
I can't see what you mean.	No veo a lo que te refieres.
I didn't mean to give you that impression.	No quise darte esa impresión.
I didn't mean to hurt you.	Mi intención no era ofenderte.

✂️ DIY Paper Flashcards

No quise herirlo.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

¡¿Cómo que no sabes?!

What do you mean you don't know?!

¡Eso no significa nada!

It doesn't mean anything!

No quería hacerte daño.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

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⚖️ True or False?

¡¿Cómo que no sabes?!

means "I didn't mean to hurt you."

📝 Dictation Scratchpad

Play the audio for "I didn't mean to hurt you." and type what you hear.

🗣️ Phonetic Approximation

No quise herirlo. /nɔ qʊɪsɛ hɛrɪrlɔ./

¡¿Cómo que no sabes?! /¡¿kómɔ qʊɛ nɔ sɑbɛs?!/

¡Eso no significa nada! /¡ɛsɔ nɔ sɪgnɪfɪkɑ nɑdɑ!/

📡 Emotion Radar

Algorithmic positivity score based on native dataset usage.

Sentiment: Neutral

😂 Dad Joke Break

Q: What did the language student say to the dictionary?

🛑 Risk Level

How risky is this phrase to use with strangers?

100% Safe to use in public.

🖼️ Context Frame

Picture a scenario that fits this word perfectly.

[ Imagine: I didn't mean to hurt you. ]

📚 Core Dictionary Examples

No quise herirlo.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

🔬 Morphology Breakdown

Prefix/Suffix analysis indicates a standard derivation path for No es su intención ser malo. Es su naturaleza..

¡¿Cómo que no sabes?!

What do you mean you don't know?!

¡Eso no significa nada!

It doesn't mean anything!

No quería hacerte daño.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

No sé qué quieres decir.

I don't know what you mean.

⌨️ Interactive Hint: Press Spacebar in typing mode to quickly reveal the next letter of No era mi intención hacerte daño..

Sé lo que quieres decir.

I know what you mean.

¡Eso no quiere decir nada!

It doesn't mean anything!

📖 Semantic Context: "I don't get what you mean."

Primary usage paradigm maps to Polite Interaction situations.

No veo a lo que te refieres.

I can't see what you mean.

No quise darte esa impresión.

I didn't mean to give you that impression.

🔬 Morphology Breakdown

Prefix/Suffix analysis indicates a standard derivation path for Si buscas las letras, realmente no significan mucho..

Mi intención no era ofenderte.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

No fue mi intención lastimarte.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

TL Semantic Focus: Notice how the syntax differs from standard English subject-verb-object order.

No era mi intención hacerte daño.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

No entiendo lo que quieres decir.

I don't get what you mean.

❌ Common Pitfalls: "What do you mean you don't know?!"

Avoid literal word-for-word translation when dealing with ¡¿Cómo que no sabes?!. Understand the conceptual phrase.

No es su intención ser malo. Es su naturaleza.

He doesn't mean to be mean. It's just his nature.

Si buscas las letras, realmente no significan mucho.

If you look at the lyrics, they don't really mean much.

⚠️ Native Nuance: While "I didn't mean to hurt you." directly translates to Mi intención no era ofenderte., locals often blend the syllables together at conversational speed.

🔬 Morphology Breakdown

Prefix/Suffix analysis indicates a standard derivation path for No entiendo lo que quieres decir..

🧠 Cognitive Load: Low. Focus on rapid pattern recognition for He doesn't mean to be mean. It's just his nature..

🧠 Academic Quizzes

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🕹️ Extra Memory Games

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💡 People Also Ask

How do you say "I didn't mean to hurt you." in English?

The most natural translation is "No quise herirlo.".

How do you say "What do you mean you don't know?!" in English?

The most natural translation is "¡¿Cómo que no sabes?!".

How do you say "It doesn't mean anything!" in English?

The most natural translation is "¡Eso no significa nada!".

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