What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 你在说什么？ is composed of 你 (you), 在 (a marker indicating an ongoing action), 说 (say) and 什么 (what).
Which one should you use?
If you omit the particle 在, the phrase becomes 你说什么？, which changes the nuance from "What are you [currently] saying?" to a more general "What did you say?" or "What do you say?" Additionally, adding 呢 or 啊 to the end of the phrase, as in 你在说什么呢？ or 你在说什么啊？, creates a more friendly and conversational tone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal approach, you can use 请问你在说什么？ to say "May I ask what you are saying?" To be more respectful when addressing an elder or a superior, replace 你 with 您 to say 您在说什么？ The forms 你在说什么呢？ and 你在说什么啊？ are considered informal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle 在 functions here to indicate the continuous aspect, making the sentence "What are you [currently] saying?" rather than just "What do you say?"
How do you pronounce it?
nǐ zài shuō shénme?
Did you know?
- In high-tension arguments, saying 你在说什么？ with a sharp, rising tone can function as a 'face-challenging' move, signaling that the other person's statement is so absurd it is unworthy of a real answer.
- Using the highly respectful form 您在说什么？ can actually backfire, as the extreme formality can make you sound ironically cold or distant toward the listener.
- In Northern Chinese dialects, the word 什么 is often replaced by 啥, changing the phrase to 你在说啥.
Examples in context
- 你在说什么？我没听清楚。Nǐ zài shuō shénme? Wǒ méi tīng qīngchǔ.What are you saying? I didn't hear clearly.
- 对不起，你在说什么？Duìbùqǐ, nǐ zài shuō shénme?Sorry, what are you saying?
Example conversation
Wei and Xiaowen are talking on the phone with a bad connection.
- 伟 Wei喂，晓雯，信号不太好。Wèi, Xiǎowén, xìnhào bù tài hǎo.Hello, Xiaowen, the signal is not very good.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我在说明天下午见。Wǒ zài shuō míngtiān xiàwǔ jiàn.I am saying let's meet tomorrow afternoon.
- 伟 Wei你在说什么？请再说一遍。Nǐ zài shuō shénme? Qǐng zài shuō yībiàn.What are you saying? Please say it again.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我说明天下午见！Wǒ shuō míngtiān xiàwǔ jiàn!I said let's meet tomorrow afternoon!
