Which one is correct and common?
1-I did not understand what you mean.
2-I did not understand what you meant.
3-I do not understand what you mean.
4-I do not understand what you meant.
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 8
3
"did not understand" = I did not understand in the past
"do not understand" = I did not understand now
"what you mean" = what you mean now
"what you meant" = what you meant in the past
[From most common:]
I do not understand what you mean. = I do not understand now what you mean now.
I did not understand what you meant. = I did not understand in the past what you meant in the past.
I do not understand what you meant. = I do not understand now what you meant in the past.
I did not understand what you mean. = I did not understand in the past what you mean now.
0
Thanks all mates
0
They're all correct, but they mean four different things (see 马先生's great answer). I think the problem is that you think some words or phrases must always be the same tense, when in reality the tense must reflect the context. Tenses aren't arbitrary - they're used to convey extra information.
0
Second, third and fourth are right.
0
I agree with Zoubir.
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