That’s Mean vs That Means: Meaning, Difference & Correct Usage

That’s Mean vs That Means 😎 can confuse learners because these phrases look alike, but their grammar and meaning differ in everyday English. English can feel tricky when two phrases look almost identical. That’s Mean and That Means perform completely different jobs in a sentence. That’s mean describes something unkind, hurtful, or cruel. That means explaining what something signifies or indicates. The difference comes from one small grammatical detail. Mean acts as an adjective after That’s, while means acts as a verb after That. This distinction helps advanced learners understand the meaning of each expression.

Using the wrong phrase could accidentally sound rude, unclear, plain awkward, or confusing. You can use each expression correctly when you understand its usage. That’s mean describes a person’s behavior or an action that feels unkind. That means points to a meaning or result and can show what something leads to. Language usage becomes much easier when you notice this grammar pattern. The rule also helps with writing a text message, explaining an idea, or checking grammar. A clear understanding of the distinction improves clarity in everyday communication.

A simple guide is to check the context and ask what the sentence tells you. That’s mean belongs in a sentence about something being unkind, hurtful, or cruel. That means belongs when an expression explains, signifies, indicates, or leads to a particular meaning or result. The grammatical explanation becomes easier when you remember the roles of the adjective and verb. This small distinction can help learners avoid a common mistake and choose the right phrase with greater clarity in everyday communication.

Table of Contents

That’s Mean vs That Means: Quick Answer

Here’s the simplest way to remember the difference:

That’s mean = That is unkind, hurtful, or cruel.
That means = That indicates, signifies, or leads to something.

For example:

“You laughed at his mistake? That’s mean.”

Here, mean describes the behavior as unkind.

Now compare it with:

“The store is closed. That means we have to come back tomorrow.”

Here, means explains the result of the store being closed.

The expressions may sound similar when spoken quickly. Grammatically, though, they’re built differently. This distinction is also reflected in current English usage references discussing the two phrases.

The Fastest Test

Try replacing the phrase with another expression:

If “that is unkind” makes sense, use “that’s mean.”
If “that indicates” or “that signifies” makes sense, use “that means.”

Example:

“Ignoring her after she apologized? ___”

“That is unkind” works, so:

That’s mean.

Another example:

“The train has already left. ___ we need another way home.”

“That indicates we need another way home” works, so:

That means we need another way home.

What Does “That’s Mean” Mean?

“That’s mean” is the contraction of “that is mean.”

In this expression, mean works as an adjective. It describes something as unkind, insensitive, hurtful, or cruel.

The basic grammatical structure is:

That + is + mean

Or, in contracted form:

That’s + mean

The word that can refer to something someone said, did, or suggested.

For example:

“You told everyone about her secret? That’s mean.”

The speaker isn’t explaining what the action means. Instead, the speaker is judging the action as unkind.

Examples of “That’s Mean”

Here are several natural examples:

“That’s mean. He was only trying to help.”
“Making fun of someone’s mistake is mean.”
“That’s mean of you to say.”
“Wow, that’s really mean.”
“Leaving her out on purpose was mean.”
“That’s a mean thing to say.”

In each sentence, mean describes behavior or words.

The Grammar Behind “That’s Mean”

Look at this breakdown:

Word	Grammatical role	Function
That	Pronoun	Refers to an action, comment, or situation
’s	Contraction of is	Linking verb
mean	Adjective	Describes the subject

So:

That’s mean.

means:

That is mean.

The adjective mean tell you what “that” is like.

This structure works just like:

“That’s rude.”
“That’s unfair.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“That’s thoughtful.”
“That’s helpful.”

In each case, it links the subject with an adjective.

When Should You Use “That’s Mean”?

Use “that’s mean” when you want to describe someone’s behavior, words, or actions as unkind.

It often appears as a quick reaction during everyday conversation.

When Someone Says Something Hurtful

“He told her that her idea was stuped.”

A natural response might be:

“That’s mean.”

The speaker is reacting to the person’s comment.

When Someone Acts Unfairly

“They invited everyone except him.”

You could say:

“That’s mean.”

Again, the phrase evaluates the behavior.

When Someone Makes a Cruel Joke

“She joked about his mistake in front of everyone.”

A suitable response could be:

“That’s mean. He already felt embarrassed.”

The phrase doesn’t explain the joke’s meaning. It comments on the way someone behaved.

What Does “That Means” Mean?

“That means” has a completely different grammatical structure.

Here, means is the third-person singular present form of the verb mean.

The basic structure is:

That + means + explanation

The verb mean can express the idea of signifying, indicating, implying, or having a particular significance.

For example:

“The lights are off. That means nobody is home.”

In this sentence, means tells us what the first fact indicates.

It isn’t describing the lights as unkind. Instead, it connects information with an interpretation.

Examples of “That Means”

“The deadline is tomorrow. That means we need to finish today.”
“She didn’t answer. That means she may be busy.”
“The door is locked. That means we can’t get inside.”
“He passed the exam. That means he can move to the next level.”
“You finished early? That means you have some free time.”
“The weather changed. That means the game could be delayed.”

In every example, means introduces an explanation, implication, or consequence.

When Should You Use “That Means”?

Use “that means” when one fact helps you understand another fact.

It often appears when you:

Explain a definition
Interpret information
Describe a consequence
Draw a conclusion
Clarify what something indicates
Explain what an action or situation signifies

For instance:

“The office closes at five. That means we need to arrive before then.”

The second sentence interprets the information in the first sentence.

“That Means” for Consequences

One especially common use involves consequences.

“The bus leaves at 7:00. That means we need to leave home by 6:30.”

The first fact creates a practical conclusion.

Similarly:

“The restaurant is fully booked. That means we’ll need another place.”

The phrase that means connects the situation with its consequence.

“That Means” for Definitions

You can also use that means when explaining what something signifies.

“The word ‘annual’ means something that happens every year.”

You could continue:

“That means an annual event happens once each year.”

The expression helps clarify meaning rather than describe someone’s behavior.

“That’s Mean” vs That Means: Grammar Difference

The key difference is grammatical rather than merely stylistic.

Expression	Expanded form	Role of “mean”	Main meaning
That’s mean	That is mean	Adjective	Something is unkind
That means	That means	Verb	Something indicates or signifies something
That’s means	—	Incorrect construction	Not standard English
That mean	—	Usually incorrect here	Missing the required -s

The easiest way to understand this is to look at the verb mean separately.

Mean as an Adjective

In:

“That’s mean.”

mean describes something.

It works like other adjectives:

That’s rude.
That’s unfair.
That’s cruel.
That’s insensitive.
That’s mean.

Mean as a Verb

In:

“That means we should leave.”

means is the verb.

It tells you what something indicates.

Compare:

“That means we should leave.”
“That indicates we should leave.”
“That suggests we should leave.”

The substitution works because means is functioning as a verb.

Why “That’s Mean” and “That Means” Are So Easy to Confuse

The two expressions share several features.

Both begin with that. Both contain the word mean. In fast speech, the difference can also sound less obvious.

There is another wrinkle: mean has several meanings in English.

It can describe someone’s behavior:

“He was mean to his brother.”

It can also function as a verb:

“What does this word mean?”

It can even appear in mathematics:

“The mean of the numbers is 15.”

Context does the heavy lifting.

Spoken English Can Blur the Difference

When people speak quickly, “that’s mean” and “that means” can sound quite close.

Compare their written forms:

That’s mean.
That means.

The apostrophe and extras become much easier to notice on the page.

That matters in texting too. People often omit punctuation in casual messages, which can make “thats mean” visually ambiguous.

Still, the underlying grammar doesn’t change.

That’s Mean vs That Means: Side-by-Side Examples

Seeing the expressions together makes the distinction much clearer.

Situation	Correct phrase	Example
Someone makes a hurtful comment	That’s mean	“That’s mean. You shouldn’t say that.”
A fact creates a consequence	That means	“The store is closed. That means we need another option.”
Someone behaves unkindly	That’s mean	“Ignoring him after he apologized is mean.”
A situation provides information	That means	“She left early. That means she probably won’t attend.”
Someone makes a cruel joke	That’s mean	“Making fun of him like that is mean.”
One fact indicates another	That means	“It’s raining. That means the field may be wet.”

Notice the pattern.

That’s mean describes.

That means explaining.

That simple distinction handles most everyday cases.

Common Mistakes With “That’s Mean” and “That Means”

Small mistakes can change the meaning of a sentence completely.

“That’s Means” Is Incorrect

A common mistake is combining the two forms:

“That’s means we have to go.” ❌

The problem is that that’s already contains the verb is.

Meanwhile, means is another verb.

You don’t need both.

The correct sentence is:

“That means we have to go.” ✅

If you want to use that’s, the following word should fit the that is structure:

“That’s mean.” ✅

“That Mean” Is Usually Incorrect

Consider:

“That mean we have to leave.” ❌

Here, that is a singular subject. The present-tense verb therefore takes -s:

“That means we have to leave.” ✅

Compare the forms:

I mean
You mean
We mean
They mean
He means
She means
It means
That means

This is ordinary subject-verb agreement.

“That’s Mean” Doesn’t Usually Mean “That Means”

Another common misunderstanding occurs when someone writes:

“The store is closed. That’s mean we can’t shop there.”

If the intended meaning is “that indicates we can’t shop there,” the correct form is:

“The store is closed. That means we can’t shop there.”

However, “That’s mean” can absolutely be correct in another context:

“He laughed when she made a mistake. That’s mean.”

The punctuation and surrounding words reveal the intended meaning.

Is “That’s Mean” Grammatically Correct?

Yes. “That’s mean” is grammatically correct when “mean” functions as an adjective.

For example:

“That’s mean of you.”

Here, that’s means that is, while mean describes the person’s behavior.

Another example:

“That’s mean. She was already upset.”

The phrase works naturally in everyday American English.

However, it would be incorrect to use that’s mean when you intend to say “that indicates” or “that signifies.”

Is “That Means” Grammatically Correct?

Yes. “That means” is grammatically correct when “means” functions as the verb.

For example:

“The road is blocked. That means we need another route.”

Here, means introduces the implication of the situation.

The phrase works in both casual and formal contexts:

“The results are statistically significant. That means the observed difference is unlikely to be explained by random variation alone.”

The grammar remains the same even when the subject matter becomes more technical.

“That Means a Lot” Has a Special Meaning

One expression deserves special attention:

“That means a lot.”

Here, means still functions as a verb. However, the phrase is often idiomatic.

If someone says:

“I remembered your birthday.”

You might respond:

“That means a lot to me.”

The phrase usually means:

“I really appreciate that.”

It expresses emotional importance or gratitude.

It doesn’t usually refer to a literal quantity.

More Examples

“Your support means a lot to me.”
“Getting that message means a lot.”
“It means a lot that you remembered.”
“Your help really means a lot.”

This is an important distinction because “means” can communicate significance rather than simply explain a logical consequence.

That’s Mean vs That Means in Everyday Conversation

Context can make both expressions appear within the same conversation.

Consider this short dialogue:

Alex: “I told everyone about Sam’s mistake.”
Jordan: “You did that in front of the whole class? That’s mean.”
Alex: “I didn’t realize he was embarrassed.”
Jordan: “That means you should apologize.”

The two expressions perform different jobs.

“That’s mean” evaluates the action.

“That means you should apologize” draws a conclusion from the situation.

This is the heart of the distinction.

Another Example

Maya: “The teacher moved the test to Friday.”
Noah: “That means we have two extra days.”
Maya: “Nice!”
Noah: “Yeah, but telling everyone we were celebrating early was mean.”

Again, the same word family appears in two different grammatical roles.

Case Study: Why One Letter Changes the Meaning

Imagine someone sends this text:

“The store closes at six. That’s mean we need to hurry.”

The reader can probably guess the intended meaning. However, the grammar is wrong.

The writer means:

“The store closes at six. That means we need to hurry.”

Now consider:

“You knew I was waiting and left without telling me? That’s mean.”

This sentence is correct.

The difference isn’t simply the presence or absence of an apostrophe. The speaker is using mean differently in each sentence.

Sentence	Meaning
“That’s mean.”	That is unkind.
“That means we should hurry.”	That indicates we should hurry.

A tiny spelling difference can therefore create a completely different message.

How to Remember the Difference

You don’t need to memorize a complicated grammar rule.

Use one of these two tests.

The “Unkind” Test

Ask:

Am I saying that something is unkind?

If yes, use:

That’s mean.

Example:

“Making fun of someone’s accent is unkind.”

So:

“That’s mean.”

The “Indicates” Test

Ask:

Am I explaining what something indicates?

If yes, use:

That means.

Example:

“The battery is dead. That indicates we need to charge it.”

So:

“That means we need to charge it.”

The Simple Memory Trick

Think of the two phrases this way:

That’s mean → describes

That means → explains

That’s short enough to remember during a conversation.

“That’s Mean” vs “That Means” vs “That Meant”

The past-tense form that means is also useful to understand.

Compare:

“That means we can leave.”

This describes a present interpretation.

Now:

“That meant we could leave.”

This describes an interpretation that applied in the past.

Phrase	Time	Example
That means	Present	“That means we’re ready.”
That meant	Past	“That meant we were ready.”
That’s mean	Present description	“That’s mean of him.”

The distinction between means and meant concerns tense. The distinction between that’s mean and that means concerns grammatical function.

“That’s Mean” vs “That’s Meaning”

Another form that sometimes causes confusion is “that’s meaning.”

In ordinary English, if you want to say something indicates something, use:

“That means…”

For example:

“That means he already knows.”

Not:

“That’s meaning he already knows.”

The second version doesn’t normally express the intended idea in standard everyday English.

The verb mean generally uses the simple present form means here.

Alternatives to “That’s Mean”

Depending on the situation, you can replace “that’s mean” with several expressions.

Alternative	Typical tone
That’s unkind.	Gentle
That’s rude.	Direct
That’s harsh.	Stronger
That’s hurtful.	Focuses on emotional impact
That’s unfair.	Focuses on treatment
That’s not nice.	Mild
That’s insensitive.	More precise or formal

The best choice depends on what you want to emphasize.

For example, “That’s rude” focuses on manners. “That’s hurtful” focuses on emotional impact. “That’s unfair” focuses on unequal or unjust treatment.

Alternatives to “That Means”

When explaining an idea, you can vary your wording with:

That indicates…
That suggests…
That implies…
That shows…
That tells us…
In other words…
So, essentially…
This means…
This suggests…

For example:

“The road is flooded. That means we need another route.”

Could become:

“The road is flooded. That indicates we need another route.”

The meaning remains similar, although the tone can change slightly.

“That’s Mean” vs “That Means” in Texting

Text messages create another layer of confusion because people often leave out punctuation.

You might see:

“thats mean 😭”

In casual texting, the missing apostrophe doesn’t necessarily prevent understanding. The intended phrase is usually “that’s mean.”

Likewise:

“that means we’re late”

is clearly using means as a verb.

Emojis and context can also influence tone. For example:

“That’s mean 😭”

could express genuine annoyance, playful mock outrage, or mild teasing between friends.

The grammar remains the same. The surrounding conversation determines the emotional tone.

Quick Comparison: That’s Mean vs That Means

Feature	That’s Mean	That Means
Full form	That is mean	That means
Main word	Mean	Means
Part of speech	Adjective	Verb
Main purpose	Describes something as unkind	Explains meaning or consequence
Typical context	Behavior, comments, actions	Facts, results, implications
Apostrophe	Yes, in that’s	No
Example	“That’s mean of you.”	“That means we’re late.”
Quick replacement	“That is unkind.”	“That indicates.”

FAQs:

Is “That’s mean” correct English?

Yes. “That’s mean” is correct when mean functions as an adjective meaning unkind, hurtful, or cruel.

“That’s mean of you.”

Here, that’s means that is.

Is “That means” correct English?

Yes. “That means” is correct when means is the verb meaning indicates, signifies, or implies.

“That means we need to leave.”

What is the difference between “that’s mean” and “that means”?

“That’s mean” describes something as unkind. “That means” explains what something indicates or implies.

Is “that’s means” correct?

No. “That’s means” is not the standard construction.

Use:

“That’s mean.”

or:

“That means.”

The correct choice depends on what you want to say.

Should I say “that’s mean” or “that means”?

Use “that’s mean” when describing something as unkind.

Use “that means” when explaining a meaning, result, or implication.

Does “that’s mean” mean “that means”?

No. They have different meanings.

That’s mean = That is unkind.
That means = That indicates something.

What does “that means a lot” mean?

“That means a lot” usually means something is emotionally important or deeply appreciated.

“Thanks for helping me. That means a lot.”

Can “that means” describe someone’s behavior?

It can describe what behavior indicates, but it doesn’t itself mean “that is unkind.”

For example:

“He ignored her message. That means he may be upset.”

If you want to criticize the behavior, you could say:

“Ignoring her like that is mean.”.

Conclusion:

That’s mean and that means look similar, but they serve different grammatical purposes. Use that’s mean to describe something unkind or hurtful. Use that means to explain what something signifies or indicates. Remembering this small difference makes your writing, speaking, and everyday communication clearer.