Ways to say it
| Moroccan Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أشنو كاتدير؟ | ashnu katdir? | to a man |
| أشنو كاتديري؟ | ashnu katdiri? | to a woman |
This question checks in on someone's activity, as in أشنو كاتدير دابا؟, 'what are you doing right now?' Many speakers also shorten أشنو to شنو.
What does it mean word for word?
أشنو means 'what', and كاتدير is 'you are doing', built from the present prefix كا, the future-present marker ت, and the verb دير, 'to do'.
Which one should you use?
أشنو كاتدير؟ asks a man. أشنو كاتديري؟ asks a woman, adding ي to the verb. The question itself does not get more or less polite, only the ending changes.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase is casual and conversational, fitting for friends, family or checking on anyone you know.
Is it said differently in some regions?
أشنو is widely used, and some regions prefer the shorter شنو for the same meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
Darija marks the gender of the person addressed on present-tense verbs by adding ي for a woman, unlike past-tense verbs, which stay the same for both.
How do you pronounce it?
كاتدير is said quickly as one unit: kat-DIR, with the stress on the second part.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using كاتدير for a woman instead of كاتديري is a common slip for learners, since the difference is a single letter easy to miss.
Did you know?
- Darija marks gender on present-tense verbs with the ending ي for a woman, a feature that disappears entirely in the past tense.
- The short form شنو is used interchangeably with the fuller أشنو for 'what' across much of Morocco.
Examples in context
- أشنو كاتدير دابا؟ashnu katdir daba?What are you doing right now?
- أشنو كاتديري هاد السيمانة؟ashnu katdiri had ssimana?What are you doing this week?
- شنو غادي تدير من بعد؟shnu ghadi tdir men ba3d?What are you going to do later?
Example conversation
Yassine calls his friend Khadija to see what she is up to.
- Yassineأشنو كاتديري دابا؟ashnu katdiri daba?What are you doing right now?
- Khadijaكنقرا شوية ديال الخدمة، وانت؟kanqra shwiya dyal lkhedma, w nta?I'm reading a little for work, and you?
- Yassineغير قاعد فالدار، ماعنديش شي حاجة.ghir qa3ed f ddar, ma 3andish shi haja.Just sitting at home, I don't have anything to do.
- Khadijaواخا، نتلاقاو من بعد إلى بغيتي.wakha, ntlaqaw men ba3d ila bghiti.Okay, let's meet later if you want.
