burada ne yapıyorsun?
The English phrase "what are you doing here?" is translated into Turkish as burada ne yapıyorsun?
This phrase is a question used to ask someone why they are in a particular place or what their purpose is for being there. While it can be a neutral question about one's purpose, in certain tones it can sound accusatory, similar to the English "What are you doing here?" when someone is caught somewhere they shouldn't be.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of burada (here), ne (what) and yapıyorsun (you are doing).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form burada ne yapıyorsun? is informal and should only be used with friends, family or people younger than you. For a formal way to ask this question, you can use Ne yapıyorsunuz burada? or Burada ne işiniz var?, the latter of which specifically means "What is your business here?"
How does it change in a sentence?
To be more polite or to address more than one person, change the verb ending from -yorsun to -yorsunuz, as in burada ne yapıyorsunuz?
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, asking Ne yapıyorsun? is a common way to say 'How are you?' or 'What's up?' in very casual slang. A learner might be confused if a friend answers 'I am doing nothing' when they actually meant 'I am fine'.
- The word ne is a very common 'anchor' across many Turkic languages, appearing almost identically in Kazakh as не and in Kyrgyz as не. It is one of the most stable words in the Turkic language family.
- If you use the informal Burada ne yapıyorsun? with a stranger in a crowded place, it might be interpreted as a confrontation rather than a curious question. In Turkish culture, questioning someone's presence too directly can be seen as challenging their right to be there.
Examples in context
- Hey, burada ne yapıyorsun?Hey, what are you doing here?
- Anlamadım, burada ne yapıyorsun?I don't understand, what are you doing here?
Example conversation
Elif sees Emre unexpectedly at a local coffee shop.
- ElifEmre, burada ne yapıyorsun?Emre, what are you doing here?
- EmreSadece kahve içiyorum.I am just drinking coffee.
- ElifSeni görmeyi beklemiyordum.I wasn't expecting to see you.
- EmreBen de seni burada görmeyi beklemiyordum.I wasn't expecting to see you here either.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries burada, ne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
