çfarë po bën?
çfarë po bën? is the Albanian phrase for "what are you doing?"
This phrase is used to ask about a person's current activity. While English uses the auxiliary verb "to be" to form this question, Albanian uses the particle po to express the present continuous aspect.
Which one should you use?
Depending on the context, you may use different forms. çfarë po bëni? is used when addressing multiple people or one person formally. Additionally, Çfarë keni në dorë? can be used to ask about a task at hand, though it literally translates to "What do you have in your hands?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Gheg dialect, which is predominantly spoken in northern Albania and Kosovo, you may hear the shortened form Ç'po bën?
Did you know?
- The linguistic origins of the particle po are considered a mystery by many linguists, with its root being highly debated.
- In casual conversation, Ç'po bën? can function as a general greeting similar to 'What's up?' rather than a literal inquiry into someone's activity.
Examples in context
- Më trego, çfarë po bën?Tell me, what are you doing?
Example conversation
Alban and Arjana are talking on the phone in the evening.
- AlbanPërshëndetje Arjana, çfarë po bën?Hello Arjana, what are you doing?
- ArjanaUnë po lexoj një libër.I am reading a book.
- AlbanA mund të flasim pak?Can we talk for a bit?
- ArjanaPo, mund të flasim tani.Yes, we can talk now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries po, çfarë, CC BY-SA 4.0.
