ତୁମେ କଣ କରୁଛ?
tume kana karucha?
The English phrase "what are you doing?" is expressed in Odia as ତୁମେ କଣ କରୁଛ? (tume kana karucha?)
This phrase is used to ask someone about their current activity.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ତୁମେ (you), କଣ (what) and କରୁଛ (doing/are doing).
Which one should you use?
If you want to be polite or formal, such as when speaking to elders or strangers, use ଆପଣ କଣ କରୁଛନ୍ତି? For very close friends or young children, you may use the even more intimate ତୁ କଣ କରୁଛୁ?, but be careful as this can be seen as disrespectful if used with the wrong person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ତୁମେ କଣ କରୁଛ? is used in an informal or friendly register when addressing someone of equal or lower status.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb କରୁଛ is the second-person singular present continuous form used with the pronoun ତୁମେ.
How do you pronounce it?
tume kana karucha?
Did you know?
- In Odia, asking 'what are you doing?' can sometimes function as a subtle way to express surprise or even annoyance at someone's behavior, rather than a genuine inquiry about their task.
- The pronoun ତୁମେ is inherited from the Sanskrit word tvam.
- Because of the high value placed on respect, a speaker might switch from ତୁମେ to ଆପଣ mid-sentence if they suddenly realize the other person's social standing is higher.
Examples in context
- ତୁମେ କଣ କରୁଛ?tumē kana karuchha?What are you doing?
- ସେଠାରେ ତୁମେ କଣ କରୁଛ?sethāre tumē kana karuchha?What are you doing there?
- ଏବେ ତୁମେ କଣ କରୁଛ?ebe tumē kana karuchha?What are you doing now?
Example conversation
Sumit calls Sneha on the phone.
- ସ୍ନେହା Snehaହେଲୋ ସୁମିତ!Hello Sumit!Hello Sumit!
- ସୁମିତ Sumitସ୍ନେହା, ତୁମେ କଣ କରୁଛ?Sneha, tume kana karucha?Sneha, what are you doing?
- ସ୍ନେହା Snehaମୁଁ ବହି ପଢୁଛି।Mu bahi padhuchi.I am reading a book.
- ସୁମିତ Sumitଠିକ୍ ଅଛି, ପରେ କଥା ହେବା।Thik achhi, pare katha heba.Okay, we will talk later.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ତୁମେ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
