As in asking for the meaning of something? It would be more correct to phrase it as, "What does that mean?" But especially if English clearly isn't your first language, "What it means?" will probably get the point across well enough
My first language is German and this was one of the first lessons we ever got in English: how to form questions and that you need to use the verb "do" to do that.
And then we later had to learn the exceptions like "be" and "can" because "do you be stupid?" and "do you can swim?" are definitely not valid English.
As far as I know, Russian doesn't use the auxillary verb "do/does".
In many languages, the "do" is often a included in the case itself, meaning that it will be part of the word "mean", as also suggested by the usage of "means" instead of "does mean".
I suppose another construction could be "It means what?"
11 Comments
H1jAcK@lemm.ee · 27 pts · 1y
As in asking for the meaning of something? It would be more correct to phrase it as, "What does that mean?" But especially if English clearly isn't your first language, "What it means?" will probably get the point across well enough
s0larfl4re@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 1y
that makes sense, thank you!!
schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de · 12 pts · 1y
The technical term you're looking for is this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do-support
English is somewhat weird in how to form questions and negations, most other languages don't do this kind of thing.
PP_BOY_@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 1y
Wish I knew more about language mechanics like this. Always fascinates me
schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de · 11 pts · 1y
My first language is German and this was one of the first lessons we ever got in English: how to form questions and that you need to use the verb "do" to do that.
And then we later had to learn the exceptions like "be" and "can" because "do you be stupid?" and "do you can swim?" are definitely not valid English.
oo1@lemmings.world · 3 pts · 1y
'Do' do be doo-doo. /jk (and not 'proper' grammar for anyone still trying to figure it out.)
knightly@pawb.social · 4 pts · 1y
Likewise!
Are you familiar with the best kept secret in English, Adjective Ordering?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjective#Order
schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de · 16 pts · 1y
not as a full sentence, certainly as a subclause: "can you tell me what it means?"
s0larfl4re@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1y
thanks!!
bstix@feddit.dk · 6 pts · 1y
The correct sentence is "what does it mean?"
As far as I know, Russian doesn't use the auxillary verb "do/does".
In many languages, the "do" is often a included in the case itself, meaning that it will be part of the word "mean", as also suggested by the usage of "means" instead of "does mean".
I suppose another construction could be "It means what?"
s0larfl4re@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1y
yeah! in Russia, it’s said as «что это значит?» or directly “what it means?”
Geodad@lemm.ee · 0 pts · 1y