what do you mean

phrase

A request for clarification of an anterior statement or question.

“What do you mean, it was all my fault?”

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Meanings

phrasewhat do you mean?
  1. A request for clarification of an anterior statement or question.
  2. An expression of surprise, annoyance, or disagreement to an anterior statement.

    What do you mean, it was all my fault?

    1 more example

    What do you frigging mean by waking me up at this time of night?

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
how do you mean

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 你這是什麼意思？ /你这是什么意思？
  • 你這是什麼意思？ /你这是什么意思？ (nǐ zhè shì shénme yìsi)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Finnish mitä tarkoitat?, miten niin
  • mitä tarkoitat?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • miten niinexpression of surprise, annoyance, or disagreement to an anterior statement
French comment ça, comment ça
  • comment çawhat do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • comment çaexpression of surprise, annoyance, or disagreement to an anterior statement
German was meinst du?
  • was meinst du?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Hebrew מה זה אומר?, מה זאת אומרת?
  • מה זה אומר? (ma ze omér?)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • מה זאת אומרת? (ma zot oméret)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • מה אתה אומר? (ma atá omér?)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • מה את אומרת? (ma at oméret?)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Hungarian hogy érted?, mire gondolsz?
  • hogy érted?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • mire gondolsz?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • hogy érti?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • mire gondol?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Indonesian apa maksudmu?, maksudmu apa?
  • apa maksudmu?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • maksudmu apa?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Italian cioè?
  • cioè?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Japanese どういうことですか？
  • どういうことですか？ (dō iu koto desu ka?)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Persian منظورت چیست؟
  • منظورت چیست؟ (manzuret čist?)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Polish co masz na myśli, o co chodzi
  • co masz na myśliwhat do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • o co chodziwhat do you mean? (request for clarification)
Portuguese como assim?, como assim?
  • como assim?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • como assim?expression of surprise, annoyance, or disagreement to an anterior statement
Russian что Вы имеете в виду?, что ты имеешь в виду?
  • что Вы имеете в виду? (što Vy imejete v vidu?)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • что ты имеешь в виду? (što ty imeješʹ v vidu?)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • в смысле (v smysle)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Spanish ¿a qué se refiere?, ¿qué quiere decir?
  • ¿a qué se refiere? (usted)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
  • ¿qué quiere decir? (usted)what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Swedish vad menar du?
  • vad menar du?what do you mean? (request for clarification)
Cite this entry
APA

what do you mean. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20do%20you%20mean

MLA

“what do you mean.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20do%20you%20mean. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “what do you mean,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20do%20you%20mean.

Source: what do you mean on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.