How to say What are you doing in Chinese: Understanding the Phrase

In Chinese, there are many ways to say, “What are you doing?”. The most common way is 你在做什么. (nǐ zài zuò shénme?), Which is a literal translation of the English phrase. This is a formal way of asking the question, often used in a business or professional setting.

How to say What are you doing in Chinese

Another common way to say “What are you doing?” is 你在干嘛. (nǐ zài gàn ma?). This is a more informal way of asking questions, often between friends or family members. It is also the most commonly used way to say “what are you doing” in spoken Chinese.

Some other ways to say “What are you doing” in Chinese:

• 你在忙吗？ (nǐ zài máng ma?) – This means “Are you busy?”. It can also ask, “What are you doing?”.
• 你在想什么？ (nǐ zài xiǎng shénme?) – This means, “What are you thinking?”. It can also be used to ask, “What are you doing?” more indirectly.
• 你干什么呢？ (nǐ gàn shénme ne?) – This is a more casual way of asking, “What are you doing?”. It is often used when catching up with a friend or family member.
• 你在做什么呢？ (nǐ zài zuò shénme ne?) – This is a more polite way of asking, “What are you doing?”. It is often used when speaking to someone you don’t know well.

Examples of how to use these phrases in a conversation:

• 你在做什么？ (nǐ zài zuò shénme?) – What are you doing?
• 你在干嘛？ (nǐ zài gàn ma?) – What are you up to?
• 你在忙吗？ (nǐ zài máng ma?) – Are you busy?
• 你在想什么？ (nǐ zài xiǎng shénme?) – What are you thinking about?
• 你干什么呢？ (nǐ gàn shénme ne?) – What are you doing now?
• 你在做什么呢？ (nǐ zài zuò shénme ne?) – What are you up to these days?

Additional things to keep in mind when asking “what are you doing” in Chinese:

• The tone of your voice is important. If you are asking in a formal setting, you should use a more formal tone. If you ask in an informal setting, you can use a more casual tone.
• The level of politeness is also important. If you speak to someone you don’t know well, you should use a more polite phrase. You can use a more informal phrase if you are speaking to a friend or family member.
• The context of the conversation is also important. If you are asking someone what they are doing in the present moment, you should use a different phrase than asking them what they are doing.

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Conclusion:

How you say “what are you doing” in Chinese will depend on the situation and the person you are speaking to. If you are speaking to someone in a formal setting, you would use the more formal 你在做什么？ (nǐ zài zuò shénme?). If you are speaking to a friend or family member, you could use the more informal 你在干嘛. (nǐ zài gàn ma?). And if you are speaking to someone you don’t know very well, you would use the more polite 你在做什么呢？ (nǐ zài zuò shénme ne?).