Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Russian grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Что вы имеете в виду?
The literal translation seems to be 'What do you have in view?' Is this how Russians always say 'What do you mean?'
Yes. The set phrase иметь в виду literally translates to 'to have in view' or 'to have in mind,' but it is the standard way to express 'to mean' when talking about a person's intentions. You cannot use the verb значить (to mean) here, because значить is used for the definition of words, objects, or situations (like 'What does this word mean?'), not for what a person is trying to say.
Why does вид (view) end in -у here instead of the usual Prepositional case ending -е?
It uses a special Locative ending. Some short masculine nouns (like лес, сад, шкаф, and вид) take a stressed -у ending instead of -е when used with the prepositions в or на to indicate a location. The phrase в виду is a frozen form meaning 'in view' or 'in mind'.
How does this phrase connect to the current lesson about using то, что?
If you want to expand this sentence to say 'Do you mean that...', you need to use the pointer word то. Because the phrase иметь в виду takes a direct object, то takes the Accusative case (which remains то). For example: Вы имеете в виду то, что нам пора? (Do you mean that it is time for us to go?).
Is в виду written as two words or one?