私が何をしたの
watashi ga nani o shita no
The English phrase "what did I do" is translated into Japanese as 私が何をしたの (watashi ga nani o shita no).
This phrase is used when expressing confusion or seeking clarification about one's own actions in response to an accusation or a strange situation.
What does it mean word for word?
The word した (shita) is the past tense of the verb suru, which means "to do".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 私が何をしたの is informal and suitable for use with friends, family or people of equal or lower status. For a polite version, you should use 私が何をしたのですか.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make this phrase polite, you would use the form 私が何をしたのですか.
How do you pronounce it?
watashi ga nani o shita no
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the phrase 何をしたの can mean both 'what did I do' and 'what did you do' depending on the context. Because subjects are often dropped, the exact same words are used to either defend oneself or accuse another person.
- Japanese has several words for 'I', but 私 (watashi) is the most neutral. Depending on the speaker's gender and desired level of modesty or assertiveness, they might replace it with 僕 (boku) or 俺 (ore) when asking 'what did I do'.
- Adding the word 一体 (ittai) to the start of the phrase to create 一体何をしたの adds the nuance of 'on earth' or 'in the world'. This is the standard way to express extreme disbelief or frustration about one's actions.
Examples in context
- 私が何をしたの？watashi ga nani o shita no?What did I do?
- 私が何をしたのか教えて。watashi ga nani o shita no ka oshiete.Tell me what I did.
Example conversation
Himari is confused why Daito is angry with her.
- 陽葵 Himariどうして怒ってるの？私が何をしたの？Dōshite okotteru no? Watashi ga nani o shita no?Why are you angry? What did I do?
- 大翔 Hiroto約束の時間に遅れたじゃないか。Yakusoku no jikan ni okureta janai ka.You were late for our appointment.
- 陽葵 Himariごめん、忘れてた！Gomen, wasureteta!Sorry, I forgot!
- 大翔 Hiroto次は気をつけてね。Tsugi wa ki o tsukete ne.Please be careful next time.
