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"Means" is a form of "means", a noun which is often translated as "el medio". "Proves" is a form of "prove", a transitive verb which is often translated as "probar". Learn more about the difference between "means" and "proves" below.
means(
minz
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (method)
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
2. (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.
3. (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.
mean
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
4. (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?
6. (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.
7. (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).
10. (nasty)
11. (miserly)
12. (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.
13. (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.
prove(
pruv
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. probar
He spent the night gathering information to prove his innocence.Se pasó la noche recopilando información para probar su inocencia.
b. demostrar
He has to prove that he was not there at the time the crime was committed.Tiene que demostrar que no se encontraba allí cuando se cometió el crimen.
c. comprobar
The report aims to prove the following facts.El informe propone comprobar los siguientes hechos.
d. acreditar
Emma had to prove her identity to enter the building.Emma tuvo que acreditar su identidad para entrar al edificio.
2. (to test)
a. probar
Several tests were carried out to prove the efficiency of the product.Se llevaron a cabo varias pruebas para probar la eficacia del producto.
3. (legal)
a. homologar
The judge proved my father's will last year.El juez homologó el testamento de mi padre el año pasado.
a. demostrar lo que uno vale
He has to prove himself this quarter if he doesn't want to be laid off.Tiene que demostrar lo que vale este trimestre si no quiere que lo despidan.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. resultar
Buying shares in that company proved a very good investment.Comprar acciones de esa compañía resultó ser muy buena inversión.
6. (culinary)
