¿qué pasa?
/ˈke ˈpasa/word by word
The Spanish phrase for "what is the matter?" is ¿qué pasa?
¿qué pasa? is a question used to ask what is happening or what is wrong. While it can mean "what is happening?", it is the most common way to ask "what is the matter?" when noticing someone is upset or something is wrong.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿qué pasa? is literally translated as "what happens?"
Which one should you use?
Other variations exist depending on the level of formality and the specific person you are addressing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you are speaking to a friend, child or someone you know well, use the informal ¿qué te pasa? For a formal way to say "What is the matter?", you can use ¿Cuál es el problema?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American countries, including Mexico, Argentina and Colombia, ¿Qué te pasa? is used to say "What is the matter?" In Spain, the phrase ¿Qué tienes? is used to say "What is the matter?"
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈke ˈpasa/
Did you know?
- While ¿qué pasa? asks what is wrong, the word pasa also means 'raisin' in Spanish. This is because raisins were historically described as 'spread grapes'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, ¿qué pasa? can function as a casual greeting similar to 'what's up?' However, using the reflexive ¿qué te pasa? can sound accusatory, as if asking 'what is wrong with you?'
- The word qué descends from the Latin quid, which is the same root that gives English the phrase 'quid pro quo'.
Examples in context
- ¡Hombre! ¿Qué te pasa?Hey! What's going on with you?
- ¿Qué pasa? Te ves triste.What's the matter? You look sad.
- Te veo triste, ¿qué pasa?You look sad, what is the matter?
Example conversation
Sofía sees Alejandro looking upset at a cafe.
- SofíaAlejandro, ¿qué pasa?Alejandro, what is the matter?
- AlejandroNo es nada, Sofía.It is nothing, Sofía.
- SofíaPareces muy preocupado.You seem very worried.
- AlejandroEs solo un problema del trabajo.It is just a problem with work.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (qué, pasa) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pasa, qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
