¿Qué haces?
casual, everyday
The easiest casual way to ask "what are you doing?" is ¿Qué haces?, which drops the longer ¿Qué estás haciendo? In Mexico friends also say ¿Qué onda? or ¿Qué te traes?
Meaning: casual question about what someone is doing (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué haces? | casual, everyday |
| ¿Qué onda? | slang, Mexico |
| ¿Qué te traes? | slang, Mexico |
¿Qué haces? works in text messages and in person with people you call tú. The reply is usually short, like Aquí, viendo una serie.
Which one should you use?
¿Qué onda? is closer to "what's up?" and is mostly Mexican. ¿Qué te traes? asks what someone is up to and often sounds a little playful.
What mistakes should you avoid?
With someone you address as usted, use the polite ¿Qué hace? and leave the slang out.
Did you know?
- The short question ¿Qué haces? is often written q haces in text messages.
Examples in context
- Oye, ¿qué haces?Hey, what are you doing?
- ¿Qué te traes con esa cara?What are you up to with that face?
- ¿Qué onda, qué haces hoy?What's up, what are you doing today?
Example conversation
Diego texts his friend Paola on a Saturday afternoon in Mexico City.
- DiegoOye, Paola, ¿qué haces?Hey, Paola, what are you doing?
- PaolaAquí, en casa, viendo una película.Here at home, watching a movie.
- Diego¿Qué onda, salimos por unos tacos?What's up, shall we go out for tacos?
- PaolaVa, dame media hora.Sure, give me half an hour.
