¿Qué vas a hacer hoy?
The English phrase "what are you going to do today?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Qué vas a hacer hoy?
Which one should you use?
Using ¿Qué vas a hacer hoy? implies a specific plan or intention for the day. In contrast, ¿Qué haces hoy? is more casual and can refer to general habits or immediate actions. You can also use the more direct future tense form ¿Qué harás hoy? to ask "what will you do today?" instead of the ir + a + infinitive construction.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a group of people in Spain, use the plural informal form ¿Qué vais a hacer hoy? In Latin America, or when using a formal "you all" in Spain, use ¿Qué van a hacer hoy?
Did you know?
- The verb hacer is often used in Spanish to describe the weather, such as hace sol for 'it is sunny', unlike English which uses the verb 'to be'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, responding to ¿Qué vas a hacer hoy? with nada (nothing) is often a polite way to signal that one is available for spontaneous plans.
- The verb hacer is related to the Latin 'facere', which is the same root found in English words like 'factory' and 'manufacture'.
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are talking on the phone in the morning.
- ElenaHola Daniel, ¿qué vas a hacer hoy?Hello Daniel, what are you going to do today?
- DanielVoy a trabajar todo el día.I am going to work all day.
- ElenaQué mal, yo tengo mucha energía.That's too bad, I have a lot of energy.
- DanielEspero que tú te diviertas mucho.I hope you have a lot of fun.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, hacer, hoy, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
