Cool MateWhat are you trying to distort vs What are you trying to say vs What do you mean
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
What are you trying to distort
What are you trying to say
What do you mean
| What are you trying to distort | What are you trying to say | What do you mean | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //wɒt ɑː juː ˈtraɪɪŋ tuː dɪsˈtɔːt//🇺🇸 //wɑt ɑr ju ˈtraɪɪŋ tu dɪsˈtɔrt// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt ɑː jʊ ˈtraɪɪŋ tə seɪ//🇺🇸 //wʌt ɑr jʊ ˈtraɪɪŋ tə seɪ// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt duː jʊ miːn//🇺🇸 //wɑt du jʊ min// |
| Meaning | What do you want to change or misrepresent? | What do you mean? | What do you want to say? |
| Example | When she said her version of events, I couldn't help but ask, 'what are you trying to distort?' | I didn't understand your point. What are you trying to say? | I didn't catch that last part, what do you mean? |
| Register | Informal | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | trying to distort the truth, distort someone's words, distort the facts | trying to say something, what are you implying, trying to convey, trying to express | what do you mean by, ask what do you mean, explain what do you mean |
| Antonyms | - | What are you trying to hide, What are you trying to imply, What are you trying to conceal | I don't understand, What do you not mean, What are you unclear about |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'what are you trying to prove' in context., Using in overly formal situations., Omitting 'are' in the question. | Confused with 'What do you mean?', Incorrectly uses 'trying to say' in formal situations., Omission of 'you' in casual speech. | Using it after every sentence, which can sound confusing., Incorrectly assuming it can replace 'what does this mean?', Not using it when genuinely confused. |
| Usage notes | Use casually when questioning someone's intentions. Avoid in formal settings as it may seem confrontational. | 'What are you trying to say?' is used to ask for clarification. It's neutral and appropriate in most contexts, but can sound confrontational if said sharply. | Use when you need clarification about someone's statement. Avoid in very formal contexts; use it with friends or in conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: What are you trying to distort vs What are you trying to say vs What do you mean
What's the difference between What are you trying to distort, What are you trying to say, and What do you mean?
What are you trying to distort: What do you want to change or misrepresent? What are you trying to say: What do you mean? What do you mean: What do you want to say?
Can you show an example of each?
What are you trying to distort: When she said her version of events, I couldn't help but ask, 'what are you trying to distort?' What are you trying to say: I didn't understand your point. What are you trying to say? What do you mean: I didn't catch that last part, what do you mean?
Can I use What are you trying to distort, What are you trying to say, and What do you mean interchangeably?
Not always. What are you trying to distort, What are you trying to say, and What do you mean are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.