significasteis

Significasteis is the second-person plural preterite form of the Spanish verb significar. It corresponds to “you all meant” or “you all signified” in English and is used to indicate that, in the past, the speakers’ words or actions carried a certain meaning or intention.

Formation and usage notes: Significar is a regular -car verb in its preterite for all persons. The vosotros form in the preterite is significasteis, used primarily in Spain and in communities that still use the vosotros pronoun. In most of Latin America, where ustedes is standard for you all, this form is uncommon and substitutions such as significaron (ustedes) are preferred.

Regional variation: The primary regional distinction concerns the use of vosotros. Significasteis is common in Spain and parts of other Iberian-speaking areas, but often sounds archaic or formal in regions that do not use vosotros. In Latin American contexts, nadie would typically say "significaron" (ustedes significaron) or rephrase with another construction like “qué quisiste decir” to ask about meaning.

Nuances: Significasteis can express meaning, intention, or significance of a past statement or action. In many contexts, speakers choose alternative phrasing such as “qué quisiste decir” or “qué quiso decir/qué querías expresar” for naturalness, especially in informal styles.

Example sentences:

- ¿Qué significasteis al decir eso? (What did you all mean by saying that?)

- Significasteis un cambio importante al aprobar la propuesta. (You all signified an important change by approving the proposal.)

Etymology: Significar derives from Latin significare, meaning “to indicate” or “to bear a sign,” from signum “signal, sign.”