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dido4
05-13-2007, 10:31 PM
What do you mean?
What do you mean for?

Q:Are these two the same?

Thank you
Lucretia
05-13-2007, 10:56 PM
Hello dido4,

No, they are not. I understand the difference this way.

What do you mean? is a very general question about the ideas the speaker had in his mind, while What do you mean for? ,in fact , = What for?
Bridget
05-14-2007, 12:50 AM
What do you mean?
What do you mean for?

Q:Are these two the same?

Thank you

The second one could only we used like this:

What do you mean (by) "for"?

Teacher: I need to see you in my office right away.
Student: (What) For?
Teacher: What do you mean (by) "for"? You know exactly what for.