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What is Mean in English? Does Mean go with “to V” or “Ving”? The structure of Mean in English

Both "Mean to V" and "Mean Ving" are correct, but each structure is used in different contexts and will change completely in meaning. Let's read this article to understand what Mean is, the structure of Mean in English and distinguish between using Mean with “to V" and “Ving"!

I. What is Mean in English?

What is Mean in English? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Mean is pronounced as /miːn/, this word acts as an adjective, noun, and verb. Let's find out the meaning through the examples below!

Mean acts as an adjective, meaning: not willing to give or share things, especially money; unkind or unpleasant; very good. For example:
- Stop being so mean big me!
- John is too mean to buy his wife a ring.
- She is a mean music composer.
Mean acts as a noun and has the following meaning: the result you get by adding two or more amounts together and dividing the total by the number of amounts = average. For example: The mean of 5, 4, 10, and 15 is 8.5.
Mean acts as a verb, meaning: to express or represent something such as an idea, thought, or fact; to intend. For example:
- What does this word mean?
- I'm sorry if I offended you - I didn't mean any harm.

II. Idioms used with Mean in English

Let's review some common idioms that are used with Mean in English in the table below.

Idioms	Meaning	Example
Be meant for each other	If you say two people are meant for each other, you think they suit each other as romantic partners.	The director and his wife are meant for each other.
I mean…	Used to correct what you have just said or to add more information	I really do love Alex - as a friend, I mean.
Mean business	To want very much to achieve something	I mean business for the first prize in a marathon in May.
Mean business	To be serious about taking action	You’ve got to tell the students that you mean business – if they don't do work, they won't pass the class.
Mean well	To do what you think will be helpful, although by doing it you might cause problems without intending to	I know he means well, but he just gets in the way.
(Do you) see what I mean?	Used to ask if someone understands what you are trying to explain	You have to hold the bar down while you lock it – do you see what I mean?
What do you mean?	Used to show that you are annoyed or that you disagree	What do you mean, it was my fault?
No mean something	Used to say a person is very good at a certain activity	John is no mean cook.

III. The structure of Mean in English

To answer the question “Does Mean go with “to V” or “Ving”?”, let's review the following table comparing the meanings of "Mean to V" and "Mean Ving", along with other common structures using Mean in English.

1. Distinguish between "Mean to V" and "Mean Ving"

Does Mean go with “to V” or “Ving”? Both "Mean to V" and "Mean Ving" are grammatically correct. However, they have completely different meanings. Let's explore together the differences between "Mean to V" and "Mean Ving".

	Mean to V	Mean Ving
Meaning	Used when you want to express that someone intends to do something or wants to intentionally do something.	Used to express what something/an action/event implies, signifies or represents.
Structure	S + mean + (O) + to + V-inf + …	S + mean + (O) + V-ing + …
Example	I mean to go home early today.	The sign means waiting for the bus here.

2. Common structures using Mean in English

Structure	Meaning	Example
Mean that + clause (clause)	to represent or express something intended/ to have as a result	Advances in electronics mean that AI world is developing every second. These figures mean that almost 7% of the population is unemployed.
Be meant to do something	to be intended to	We were meant to go on a trip away last week but my sister was ill. Therefore, we had to cancel.
Mean by something	to express or represent something such as an idea, thought, or fact	What do you mean by “rightsizing the department”?
Be mean with something	not generous	Alex is well known for being mean with money.
Be mean to somebody	unkind	If Jenny has ever been mean to staff, she always apologizes afterwards.

IV. Exercises on Mean in English with answers

To further understand the definition, usage of Mean in English, and how to differentiate between using Mean with “to V" and "Ving", let's complete the following exercises together.

1. Exercises

Conjugate the verbs in brackets:

Maria didn't mean________ (interrupt) your conversation; it was an accident.
I didn't mean________ (hurt) your feelings with my comments.
The sign means________ (park) car here.
Being independent means________ (live) away from your parents.
Alex didn't mean________ (forget) your birthday; it completely slipped his mind.
We didn't mean________ (cause) any trouble; it was just a misunderstanding.
More people at the party means________ (buy) more candy.
This sign means not________ (smoke) in the hospital.
They didn't mean________ (disturb) you during your presentation; they thought the meeting was over.
I hope you know I didn't mean________ (ignore) your message; I've been quite busy lately.

2. Answer

to interrupt
to hurt
parking
living
to forget
to cause
buying
smoking
to disturb
to ignore

PREP hopes this article above has helped you grasp the definition, usage of Mean in English, and differentiate between using Mean with “to V" and "Ving". Let’s follow PREP for more high-quality English language knowledge updates in the future!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Mr. Tú Phạm is the founder of PREP, a Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of teaching and test preparation experience, he has assisted thousands of students in achieving high scores on the IELTS exam. Additionally, Mr. Tú Phạm serves as a consultant for British Council programs and as a speaker at numerous premier education events, programs, and seminars.