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How to Say ‘What do you mean?’ in German

Was meinen Sie?

vas MY-nen zee

[vas MY-nen zee]

💬 Usage Tip: meinen means "to mean". It does not mean "my", even though it looks like meinen "my".

Phrase Breakdown

Was

[vas]

what

Question word asking about a thing.

Example

Was machst du?

What are you doing?

meinen

[MY-nen]

mean

Verb 'meinen': to mean or intend something; also to think.

Example

Was meinst du damit?

What do you mean by that?

Sie

[zee]

you

The formal 'you' used in polite professional conversations.

Example

Ich freue mich, Sie hier auf der Jobmesse zu sehen.

I am pleased to see you here at the job fair.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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