지금 뭐 해요?
jigeum mwo haeyo?
In Korean, 'what are you doing right now?' is translated as 지금 뭐 해요? (jigeum mwo haeyo?) by default.
This phrase is a question used to ask someone about their current activity.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 지금 (now), 뭐 (what) and 해요 (do/are doing).
Which one should you use?
The default form 지금 뭐 해요? is polite and suitable for most everyday social situations with people you are not intimately close to. For a standard and polite way to ask someone what they are currently doing, you can also use 지금 무엇을 하고 계세요? If you want to ask specifically about work, the formal variation 지금 무슨 일을 하시고 계세요? translates roughly to 'What work are you doing right now?'
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version 지금 뭐 해? is used with close friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
jigeum mwo haeyo?
Did you know?
- Depending on the context, 지금 뭐 해요? can be used as a subtle way to start a flirtatious conversation rather than a literal inquiry about an activity.
- The word 지금 is a Sino-Korean term combining the characters for 'only' and 'now'.
- Texting this phrase often results in much shorter versions, such as 뭐해? or even just 머해?, which mimics the way words sound in casual speech.
Examples in context
- 지금 무엇을 하고 계세요?What are you doing right now?
- 지은 씨, 지금 뭐 해요?Jieun ssi, jigeum mwo haeyo?Jieun, what are you doing right now?
- 전화했는데, 지금 뭐 해요?Jeonhwahaetneunde, jigeum mwo haeyo?I called you, what are you doing right now?
Example conversation
Jieun calls Dohyeon on the phone to check on him.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현 씨, 지금 뭐 해요?Dohyeon ssi, jigeum mwo haeyo?Dohyeon, what are you doing right now?
- 도현 Do-hyeon그냥 집에 있어요.Geunyang jibe isseoyo.I am just at home.
- 지은 Ji-eun심심하면 같이 커피 마실래요?Simsimhamyeon gachi keopi masillaeyo?If you are bored, do you want to grab coffee together?
- 도현 Do-hyeon좋아요, 지금 나갈게요.Joayo, jigeum nagalgeyo.Sounds good, I will go out now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 지금, CC BY-SA 4.0.
