What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of O que (what), você (you), está (are/is) and dizendo (saying).
Which one should you use?
While O que você está dizendo? uses the continuous aspect to ask about a current utterance, O que você diz? uses the simple present and can be used to ask for an opinion or a general habit.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In casual spoken Brazilian Portuguese, você is often shortened to cê and está is shortened to tá, resulting in forms like O que cê tá dizendo? or Que que cê tá dizendo?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, you may hear the colloquial variations O que tu tá falando? and O que cê tá falando? In European Portuguese, an informal expression is O que estás a dizer?
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb dizer is conjugated in the gerund form dizendo to express the continuous action of speaking.
Did you know?
- The term você shares a common ancestor with the Spanish word usted, as both derived from phrases meaning 'your mercy'.
- In many parts of Brazil, the phrase may sound completely different due to phonetic blending. You might hear Que que cê tá dizendo?, where 'que que' acts as a rhythmic filler common in spoken Portuguese.
- In very fast, informal Brazilian speech, the distinction between 'está' and 'você' can almost vanish. The phrase can melt into a single rhythmic flow that sounds more like a single word than a sentence.
Examples in context
- Desculpe, o que você está dizendo?Sorry, what are you saying?
- Não entendi, o que você está dizendo?I didn't understand, what are you saying?
Example conversation
Beatriz and Gabriel are talking over a very noisy phone connection.
- BeatrizGabriel, a conexão está ruim.Gabriel, the connection is bad.
- GabrielEu disse que vou chegar tarde.I said I'll arrive late.
- BeatrizO que você está dizendo?What are you saying?
- GabrielQue eu vou chegar tarde, Beatriz.That I'll arrive late, Beatriz.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries está, o, que, você, CC BY-SA 4.0.
