What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 오늘 (today), 뭐 (what) and 했어요 (did/performed).
Which one should you use?
While 오늘 뭐 했어요? is a standard polite way to ask the question, you can use 오늘 뭐 했어? for a more casual tone or 오늘 무엇을 했습니까? for a highly formal tone. In the highly formal version, the word 무엇을 is used instead of the shorter 뭐.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 오늘 뭐 했어요? is polite and suitable for speaking to acquaintances or people older than you. For professional settings, people older than you or when showing respect, use the formal expression 오늘 무엇을 했습니까? A highly formal version used in professional or military contexts is 오늘 무엇을 하셨습니까?
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form 오늘 뭐 했어요? uses the polite ending '-어요'. The informal version 오늘 뭐 했어? is created by dropping the '-요' at the end. The highly formal version uses the '-습니까' ending.
How do you pronounce it?
Oneul mwo haesseoyo?
Did you know?
- Depending on the social hierarchy, answering 오늘 뭐 했어? (informal) with 오늘 무엇을 했습니까? (highly formal) can be used sarcastically to create awkward distance.
- If you are asking a much older person or someone of very high status, you would add the honorific marker 시 to the verb, making it 오늘 뭐 하셨어요? instead of 오늘 뭐 했어요? much like adding a title of respect to the action itself.
- In Korean culture, asking 오늘 뭐 했어요? can sometimes function as a way to initiate a conversation rather than a request for a detailed list of activities.
Examples in context
- 오늘 뭐 했어요?oneul mwo haesseoyo?What did you do today?
- 지은 씨, 오늘 뭐 했어요?jieun ssi, oneul mwo haesseoyo?Jieun, what did you do today?
- 친구한테 오늘 뭐 했어요?라고 물어봤어요.chinguhante oneul mwo haesseoyo? rago mureobwasseoyo.I asked my friend, "What did you do today?"
Example conversation
Two friends are chatting on the phone in the evening.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현 씨, 오늘 뭐 했어요?do hyeon ssi, oneul mwo haesseoyo?Dohyeon, what did you do today?
- 도현 Do-hyeon그냥 집에서 쉬었어요.geunyang jibeseo swieosseoyo.I just rested at home.
- 지은 Ji-eun정말 좋았겠네요!jeongmal joatgenneyo!That sounds really nice!
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 아주 편했어요.ne, aju pyeonhaesseoyo.Yes, it was very relaxing.
