was machst du so?
The English phrase 'what are you up to?' can be translated into German as was machst du so?
This is a casual question used to ask someone what they are doing or what has been happening in their life. The particle so functions as a filler word that softens the question, making it sound more casual and less like a direct interrogation about a specific task.
Which one should you use?
While was machst du so? is a general inquiry about one's life or current state, the version without the filler, was machst du?, sounds more direct and often implies asking about a specific action happening at this exact moment.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group of friends or peers, use was macht ihr so? instead of the singular du. You can also make the phrase formal by changing the pronoun and the verb conjugation to was machen Sie so? or Was machen Sie gerade? In these contexts, the word gerade means 'at the moment.'
Did you know?
- The German word du is a direct relative of the archaic English 'thou'. Both words share a common ancestor in the Proto-Germanic language.
- German uses the present tense machst to cover both 'what are you doing' and 'what are you up to'. There is no unique continuous form like the English 'doing'.
- Depending on the region, someone might answer was machst du so? by talking about their profession, as machen is frequently used to describe what someone does for a living.
Examples in context
- Hey, was machst du so?Hey, what are you up to?
Example conversation
Julia calls Lukas on a Tuesday afternoon.
- JuliaHey Lukas, was machst du so?Hey Lukas, what are you up to?
- LukasNichts Besonderes, ich lese gerade nur.Nothing special, I am just reading right now.
- JuliaHast du Lust auf einen Kaffee?Do you feel like having a coffee?
- LukasJa, das ist eine gute Idee!Yes, that is a good idea!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du, so, was, CC BY-SA 4.0.
