¿qué estás comiendo?
In Spanish, the phrase for "what are you eating?" is ¿qué estás comiendo?
This phrase is used to ask someone about the food they are consuming at the current moment.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of qué (what), estás (you are) and comiendo (eating).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, ¿qué está comiendo usted? is used as a formal way to ask "what are you eating?"
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask someone you address formally (usted), change estás to está to get ¿qué está comiendo? To ask a group of people what they are eating, use the plural form están to say ¿qué están comiendo? Additionally, ¿qué comes? is an informal way to ask the question.
Did you know?
- The word qué descends from the Latin word quid, which eventually gave English the term 'quid' as a slang word for a pound sterling.
- While comer means 'to eat', in Spain it is also used to refer specifically to the mid-day meal, which is typically the largest meal of the day.
- In some Spanish dialects, if you are eating very quickly, someone might jokingly ask ¿qué te estás comiendo? adding the 'te' to imply you are eating it all for yourself.
Examples in context
- Huele muy bien, ¿qué estás comiendo?It smells very good, what are you eating?
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are in the living room.
- JavierLucía, ¿qué estás comiendo?Lucía, what are you eating?
- LucíaEstoy comiendo una manzana roja.I am eating a red apple.
- JavierParece deliciosa.It looks delicious.
- LucíaSí, es muy dulce.Yes, it is very sweet.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
