¿qué hago?
The English phrase "what do I do?" is translated into Spanish as ¿qué hago?
You use ¿qué hago? to ask for immediate instructions when following a process, or to seek general advice when facing a dilemma.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the interrogative pronoun qué (what) and the first-person singular present indicative of the verb hacer (to do/make).
Which one should you use?
The impersonal form ¿qué se hace? can be used to ask what the standard procedure or common practice is in a certain situation, essentially asking "what is one to do?" or "what does one do?"
Did you know?
- The word qué descends from the Latin 'quid', which is the same root used in the English expression 'quid pro quo' meaning 'something for something'.
- While English speakers often ask 'what should I do?' to seek advice, a Spanish speaker might use the present tense ¿qué hago? to express the same thing. This makes the action feel more immediate and pressing than the English modal 'should'.
- If you are feeling overwhelmed by a situation, you might hear someone exclaim ¡¿Qué hago?! as a rhetorical cry of despair. In this case, it is less a request for instructions and more an expression of feeling lost or helpless.
Examples in context
- Si pierdo las llaves, ¿qué hago?If I lose the keys, what do I do?
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are in the kitchen and a glass has just broken.
- JavierSe rompió el vaso, ¿qué hago?The glass broke, what do I do?
- LucíaNo te muevas, Javier.Don't move, Javier.
- Javier¿Qué hago para limpiar esto?What do I do to clean this up?
- LucíaUsa la escoba con cuidado.Use the broom carefully.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
