Signification
Used to ask for the meaning of a word or phrase.
Contexte culturel
In Spain, people are very direct. If you don't understand something, just ask. It's common to hear '¿Qué significa?' followed by a quick, helpful explanation. Mexican Spanish is famous for its 'albur' (double meanings). You might find yourself asking '¿Qué significa?' often to understand the hidden jokes. Argentines use 'voseo' and many unique words (lunfardo). A learner might ask about words like 'che' or 'laburo'. The RAE (Real Academia Española) is the official body that decides what words 'signify'. Many people will refer to 'el diccionario' when you ask this question.
The Pointing Trick
If you don't know the word for an object, point at it and say '¿Qué significa esto?'. It works every time!
Don't forget the accent
Always write the accent on 'Qué'. It's a small detail that makes you look like a pro.
Signification
Used to ask for the meaning of a word or phrase.
The Pointing Trick
If you don't know the word for an object, point at it and say '¿Qué significa esto?'. It works every time!
Don't forget the accent
Always write the accent on 'Qué'. It's a small detail that makes you look like a pro.
Ask for examples
After asking '¿Qué significa?', follow up with '¿Puedes darme un ejemplo?' to see the word in action.
Regional Slang
Use this phrase to ask about regional slang. It's the best way to make local friends!
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb 'significar'.
¿Qué ________ 'bolígrafo'?
'Bolígrafo' is a singular noun, so we use the singular form 'significa'.
Which question is correct to ask for the meaning of multiple words?
You want to know the meaning of 'los libros'.
Because 'los libros' is plural, the verb must be 'significan'.
Match the Spanish phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the pairs:
These are all essential survival phrases for a beginner.
Complete the dialogue.
Estudiante: Perdón, ¿qué ________ 'manzana'? Profesora: Significa 'apple'.
The context of asking for a definition requires 'significa'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Significa vs. Cómo se dice
Banque d exercices
4 exercices¿Qué ________ 'bolígrafo'?
'Bolígrafo' is a singular noun, so we use the singular form 'significa'.
You want to know the meaning of 'los libros'.
Because 'los libros' is plural, the verb must be 'significan'.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are all essential survival phrases for a beginner.
Estudiante: Perdón, ¿qué ________ 'manzana'? Profesora: Significa 'apple'.
The context of asking for a definition requires 'significa'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it's only for words, symbols, or situations. To ask who someone is, use '¿Quién es...?'.
Always 'Qué' when asking for a definition. 'Cuál' is for choosing between options.
Not at all! Native speakers usually love helping people learn their language.
They are 99% interchangeable. 'Quiere decir' is slightly more common in spoken conversation.
Just say '¿Qué significa toda esta frase?'.
Usually no, because the 'word' is the subject. You only change it to 'significan' for plural words.
Yes! '¿Qué significó eso?' means 'What did that mean?'.
In very casual speech, you might just point and say '¿Qué es?'.
You say '¿Qué significa esto para mí?'.
It's just a stylistic choice. It literally means 'What does it want to say?', which is a common idiom in Romance languages.
Expressions liées
¿Qué quiere decir...?
synonymWhat does it want to say?
¿Cómo se dice...?
contrastHow do you say...?
¿A qué se refiere...?
similarWhat is it referring to?
¿Qué es...?
builds onWhat is...?
