Which one should you use?
¿Qué haces? is a common way to ask what someone is doing, whereas ¿Qué estás haciendo? is the continuous aspect version that emphasizes an action currently in progress. In more professional or formal settings, you might use ¿En qué está trabajando? to ask "What are you working on?" or ¿Qué actividad está realizando? to ask "What activity are you carrying out?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
¿Qué haces? and ¿Qué estás haciendo? are both informal ways to ask what someone is doing. For formal situations, use ¿En qué está trabajando? or ¿Qué actividad está realizando?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, it is common to use the phrase ¿Qué haces de bueno?, which translates to "What good things are you doing?"
How does it change in a sentence?
¿Qué estás haciendo? uses the continuous aspect to emphasize an action that is currently in progress, compared to the more general ¿Qué haces?
Did you know?
- The word qué shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'what', both tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷid.
- Depending on the intonation, ¿Qué haces? can be used as a reprimand to ask 'What are you doing?!' when someone is doing something wrong or forbidden.
- In some regions, if you answer ¿Qué haces? with Nada, it is often a social cue that you are available to hang out or chat further.
Examples in context
- Oye, ¿qué haces?Hey, what are you doing?
Example conversation
Javier sends a text to Lucía on a Friday afternoon.
- JavierHola Lucía, ¿qué haces?Hi Lucía, what are you doing?
- LucíaNada, estoy en casa.Nothing, I'm at home.
- Javier¿Quieres ir al cine?Do you want to go to the movies?
- LucíaSí, me parece bien.Yes, that sounds good to me.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries qué, CC BY-SA 4.0.
