こんにちは、何してるの？
konnichiwa, nani shiteru no?
The English phrase "hello what are you doing" is translated into Japanese as こんにちは、何してるの？ (konnichiwa, nani shiteru no?)
This phrase is a casual greeting used to ask someone what they are currently doing. The word Nani means "what".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form こんにちは、何してるの? is casual. For a more polite and formal way to ask the same question, you should use こんにちは、何をしてますか?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, the informal phrase Mōkarimakka? can be used to mean "What's up?" or "How's it going?"
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual Japanese, the subject "you" (anata) is frequently omitted when the context makes it clear who is being addressed, as seen in the phrase 何してるの?
How do you pronounce it?
konnichiwa, nani shiteru no?
Did you know?
- The word こんにちは actually means 'as for today'. It was originally the beginning of a much longer sentence that explained the speaker's purpose for visiting.
- In Japanese, using the word for 'you' (anata) in this phrase can actually sound cold or even confrontational. It is much more natural to use the person's name followed by 'san' instead of a pronoun.
- If you use the word nani with a certain sharp tone, it can unexpectedly shift from a simple 'what' to meaning 'what on earth' or 'what the heck'.
Examples in context
- こんにちは、何してるの？急に連絡してごめん。Konnichiwa, nani shiteru no? Kyu ni renraku shite gomen.Hello, what are you doing? Sorry for contacting you so suddenly.
- こんにちは、何してるの？暇だったら遊ぼう！Konnichiwa, nani shiteru no? Hima dattara asobou!Hello, what are you doing? Let's hang out if you're free!
Example conversation
Yota sends a text message to Himari to see if she is busy.
- 陽太 Yotaこんにちは、何してるの？Konnichiwa, nani shiteru no?Hello, what are you doing?
- 陽葵 Himariこんにちは。今は家で宿題をしているよ。Konnichiwa. Ima wa ie de shukudai o shite iru yo.Hello. I am doing my homework at home right now.
- 陽太 Yotaそうなんだ。大変そうだね。Sou nanda. Taihen sou da ne.I see. That sounds tough.
- 陽葵 Himariうん、終わったら連絡するね。Un, owattara renraku suru ne.Yeah, I will contact you when I finish.
