どうしたの
dōshita no
In Japanese, "what happened" is expressed as どうしたの (dōshita no), used when asking someone what is wrong or why they appear upset.
The phrase どうしたの is used when you notice a change in someone's physical appearance, mood or behavior and want to express concern.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of dō (how/in what way) and shita (the past tense of suru, to do).
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding んですか to the end of どうした to create どうしたんですか makes the phrase more polite and formal than the casual どうしたの. In the informal version, the particle の at the end of どうしたの softens the question, making it sound more conversational and caring.
How do you pronounce it?
dōshita no
Did you know?
- If you say どうしたの to a stranger who looks distressed, you might sound overly familiar or intrusive. In such cases, it is more culturally appropriate to use more formal language or simply offer help without asking the question directly.
- While どうしたの literally translates to 'what did (you) do', it is almost never used to ask about a person's specific actions. Instead, it is a fixed expression used to inquire about an inexplicable state or situation.
- In anime or drama, a character might shout どうしたんだ! (Dōshita nda!) to express intense shock or confusion. This version uses a stronger, more masculine or assertive ending than the gentle の version.
Examples in context
- 目が赤いよ。どうしたの？Your eyes are red. What happened?This example uses どうしたの to show concern about someone's red eyes.Tatoeba #7898622 by tommy_san, translation #7910873 by CM
- あいつの顔、どうしたの？What happened to his face?This example uses どうしたの to ask about a change in someone's face.Tatoeba #11041901 by small_snow, translation #10117075 by ddnktr
- どうしたの？ 何があったの？What's up? What happened?This example uses どうしたの to ask what is up.Tatoeba #2963960 by tommy_san, translation #7910856 by CM
- 昨日何が起こりましたか？What happened yesterday?
- 友達に何があったの？What happened to your friend?
- まさか、それが起こるなんて！I can't believe that happened!
- 本当にあんなことがあったの？Did that really happen?
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki looks upset while sitting on a bench.
- 陽太 Yota美咲、どうしたの？Misaki, doushita no?Misaki, what happened?
- 美咲 Misakiちょっと、気分が悪くて。Chotto, kibun ga warukute.I just feel a bit unwell.
- 陽太 Yota大丈夫？座って休もう。Daijoubu? Suwatte yasumou.Are you okay? Let's sit down and rest.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう、陽太くん。Arigatou, Youta-kun.Thank you, Youta.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
