What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of どう, which means "how" and した, which is the past tense of the verb "to do". The particle の at the end acts as an explanatory particle that adds a tone of seeking an explanation or expressing curiosity.
Which one should you use?
Depending on the context, other forms may be more appropriate. 何が起こっていますか。 is a polite way to ask "What is happening?", while 何が起こってる？ is a casual, shortened version of that same expression. If you want to ask about an event being held, 何が行われていますか。 translates to "What is taking place?" or "What is being held?" For a very colloquial way to express curiosity about a person's actions or a general situation, you can use 何やってんの？, which can mean "What are you doing?" or "What's going on?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of formality changes the phrasing significantly. どうしましたか？ is the polite version used when speaking to strangers or superiors. どうしたの？ is a standard way to express the sentiment. In very casual settings, particularly among men, you may hear the blunt form どうした？, which is created by dropping the particle の.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle の at the end of どうしたの？ is an explanatory particle used to indicate that the speaker is seeking an explanation or expressing curiosity.
How do you pronounce it?
dōshita no?
Did you know?
- If you ask a superior どうしたの？, you might unintentionally sound patronizing. Because this specific form is often used by parents toward children or by those in higher social positions, it is safer to use the polite どうしましたか？ in professional settings.
- The phrase 何やってんの？ is much more aggressive than its literal translation. While it can mean 'what is going on?', it often carries the nuance of 'What on earth are you doing?', implying the person's actions are nonsensical or annoying.
- Because どうしたの？ translates literally to 'How did [it] do?', it reveals a way of thinking where the 'reason' for a situation is viewed as something that has already happened or been 'done' to a person.
Examples in context
- すみません、何が起こっていますか。Excuse me, what is happening?
- 申し訳ありませんが、この部屋では何が行われていますか。I'm sorry, but what is being held in this room?
- おい、何が起こってる？Hey, what's going on?
- 今、何やってんの？What's going on right now?
- どうしたの？Doshita no?What is going on?
- 顔色が悪いけど、どうしたの？Kaoiro ga warui kedo, doshita no?You look pale, what is going on?
- 急に泣いて、どうしたの？Kyuu ni naite, doshita no?You suddenly started crying, what is going on?
Example conversation
Yui approaches Kenta, who is sitting alone and looking upset.
- 結衣 Yui健太君、どうしたの？Kenta-kun, doshita no?Kenta, what is going on?
- 健太 Kenta少し疲れているだけだよ。Sukoshi tsukarete iru dake da yo.I'm just a little tired.
- 結衣 Yui大丈夫？無理しないでね。Daijoubu? Muri shinai de ne.Are you okay? Don't push yourself.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう、結衣ちゃん。Arigatou, Yui-chan.Thanks, Yui.
