何してるの？
nani shiteru no?
The English phrase "what are you up to?" is translated into Japanese as 何してるの？ (nani shiteru no?)
The phrase 何してるの？ is used to ask someone what they are doing. This can refer to a person's current immediate action or their general plans for the near future, such as asking what someone is up to this weekend.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
何してるの？ is an informal way to ask this question and should be used with friends, family or people of equal social standing. For a polite version suitable for strangers or superiors, use 何してるんですか？
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding んですか to the end of the phrase, as in 何してるんですか？, makes the question polite.
How do you pronounce it?
nani shiteru no?
Did you know?
- If you use the polite version 何してるんですか？ with a close friend, they may think you are being sarcastic or creating distance between you.
- While 何してるの？ asks about an action, a similar-sounding phrase 何してんの？ is common in slang and can imply 'What on earth are you doing?' in a judging way.
- If you ask a superior 何してるの？, you might sound like you are questioning their very right to be doing that task, rather than just being curious.
Examples in context
- 今、何してるの？Ima, nani shiteru no?What are you doing right now?
- 家で何してるの？Ie de nani shiteru no?What are you doing at home?
Example conversation
Misaki calls Haruta on his phone during the afternoon.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太、今何してるの？Youta, ima nani shiteru no?Haruta, what are you up to right now?
- 陽太 Yotaゲームをしてるよ。Geemu o shiteru yo.I'm playing a game.
- 美咲 Misakiそうなんだ。暇なら遊ぼうよ！Sou nanda. Hima nara asobou yo!I see. If you're free, let's hang out!
- 陽太 Yotaいいよ、今から行くね。Ii yo, ima kara iku ne.Sure, I'll come over now.
