1 A2 neutral
To intend to do something, especially when used in past tense to explain an unfulfilled intention.
"I've been meaning to call you for weeks — I'm so sorry I never did."
inseparable
mean to
A2 neutral inseparable transitive
To intend or plan to do something.
In plain English
Want to do something or plan to do it — especially when you did not actually do it yet.
What does "mean to" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To not have intended to do something; to do something accidentally (used with negative).
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings — I was just trying to be honest."
“
I never meant to hurt anyone.
— Common expression in public apologies; widely attributed in interviews with public figures including celebrity apology culture reporting
inseparable
Usage tip
Extremely common in everyday speech. Often used with negatives ('I didn't mean to') to express that something was an accident. Also used with 'have been meaning to' to describe long-standing intentions that have not yet been carried out. Very natural and idiomatic in informal speech.
Words that pair with "mean to"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
call apologize say do ask reply
How to conjugate "mean to"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
mean to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
means to
he/she/it
Past simple
meant to
yesterday
Past participle
meant to
have + pp
-ing form
meaning to
continuous
Hear "mean to" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "mean to" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "mean to"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
aim to be going to have in mind to intend to plan to
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