vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Mean" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "significar", and "thrifty" is an adjective which is often translated as "ahorrativo". Learn more about the difference between "mean" and "thrifty" below.
mean(
min
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to signify)
a. querer decir
What did you mean when you said you didn't think this was working?¿Qué quisiste decir cuando dijiste que esto no está funcionando?
3. (to imply)
a. referirse
When I said I didn't want to talk to anybody, I didn't mean you.Cuando dije que no quería hablar con nadie, no me refería a ti.
4. (to intend)
a. tener la intención de
I didn't mean to say the things that I said. I'm sorry.No tuve la intención de decir lo que dije. Lo siento.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
I can't imagine life without you. You mean the world to me.No me imagino vivir sin ti. Lo eres todo para mí.
Money doesn't mean anything to Rose. She'd rather have love.El dinero no es importante para Rose. Preferiría el amor.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
7. (nasty)
8. (miserly)
9. (average)
a. medio
Find the mean number of girls born in families with six children.Encuentra el número medio de niñas nacidas en familias con seis hijos.
10. (colloquial) (excellent) (United States)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in the United States
a. increíble
I can make you a mean lemonade if you hang on a sec.Te puedo preparar una limonada increíble si me esperas tantito.
means
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
11. (method)
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
12. (reasons)
a. los medios (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The means are justified if we consider all options.Los medios están justificados si consideramos todas las opciones.
13. (wealth)
a. los recursos (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The thief lacks the means to pay a good lawyer.El ladrón no tiene los recursos para pagar un buen abogado.
b. los medios (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Not everyone has the means to pursue higher education.No todo el mundo tiene los medios para proseguir los estudios superiores.
thrifty(
thrihf
-
di
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
a. ahorrativo
Luis says he's thrifty, but I think he's just cheap.Luis dice que es ahorrativo, pero yo creo que simplemente es tacaño.
Roxanne gave me some advice on how to be thrifty when traveling.Roxanne me dio algunos consejos sobre cómo ser ahorrativo en los viajes.
b. económico
Juan is thrifty. He never eats in restaurants.Juan es económico. Nunca come en restaurantes.
c. frugal
Ariadna has thrifty habits, and she manages to live on a scant salary.Ariadna tiene hábitos frugales y se las arregla para vivir con un salario escaso.
a. económico
Victoria has a list of thrifty things to do with children this summer.Victoria tiene una lista de cosas económicas que hacer con los niños este verano.
