1. Mean (as in "bad-tempered")
* malo/a (masculine/feminine) - This is the most common translation. It refers to someone who is unpleasant, grumpy, or unkind.
* grosero/a (masculine/feminine) - This is closer to "rude" or "disrespectful".
* cruel - This emphasizes a more deliberate act of unkindness or malice.
2. Mean (as in "average")
* medio/a (masculine/feminine) - This translates directly to "average" or "medium".
* promedio - This word also means "average" and is often used in a mathematical context.
3. Mean (as in "signify")
* significar - This verb means "to signify" or "to mean".
* querer decir - This phrase means "to mean" in a more informal sense.
4. Mean (as in "intend")
* querer - This verb means "to want" but can also be used to express "to intend" or "to mean to".
* pretender - This verb means "to pretend" but can also be used to express "to intend" or "to mean to".
Examples:
* Él es muy malo con sus amigos. (He's very mean to his friends.)
* La temperatura promedio en esta ciudad es de 25 grados. (The average temperature in this city is 25 degrees.)
* ¿Qué significa esta palabra? (What does this word mean?)
* Quiero decir que estoy muy contento. (I mean to say that I am very happy.)
To get the most accurate translation, you need to consider the context in which the word "mean" is used.