여기서 뭐 해요?
yeogiseo mwo haeyo?
The English phrase "what are you doing here?" is translated into Korean as 여기서 뭐 해요? (yeogiseo mwo haeyo?)
This phrase is used to ask someone why they are in a particular place or what their current activity is in that location. Depending on your tone of voice, this question can range from a genuine inquiry to a confrontational or suspicious way of questioning someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 여기서 (here-at), 뭐 (what) and 해요 (do/are doing).
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version of the phrase is 여기서 뭐 해?
How do you pronounce it?
yeogiseo mwo haeyo?
Did you know?
- In casual speech among friends, the phrase 뭐 해? is often used as a greeting similar to 'What's up?' regardless of whether the person is actually doing anything.
- While 해요 is the standard polite form, using the even more formal 하십니까? would make the question sound like a scene from a military movie or a police interrogation.
- If you are speaking to someone much older than you, even using the polite 여기서 뭐 해요? might feel too direct or blunt, as questioning someone's presence can be seen as challenging their authority.
Examples in context
- 여기서 무슨 일을 하시나요?What are you doing here?
- 어? 여기서 뭐 해요?eo? yeogiseo mwo haeyo?Oh? What are you doing here?
- 혼자서 여기서 뭐 해요?honjaseo yeogiseo mwo haeyo?What are you doing here by yourself?
Example conversation
Hyunwoo runs into Seoyeon at a local library.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo서연 씨, 여기서 뭐 해요?Seoyeon ssi, yeogiseo mwo haeyo?Seoyeon, what are you doing here?
- 서연 Seo-yeon시험 공부하려고 왔어요.siheom gongbuharyeogo wasseoyo.I came here to study for an exam.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo저도 여기서 공부할 거예요.jeodo yeogiseo gongbuhal geoyeyo.I am going to study here too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그래요? 같이 해요.geuraeyo? gachi haeyo.Really? Let's study together.
