How to Say What Are You Doing in Japanese: Nani Shiteru? and More

What are you doing in Japanese: four versions

The same question changes a lot with the situation and the tone. These four cover the casual chat, the right-now check-in, the polite question, and the scolding.

The te-iru form behind the question

Shite iru (している) is the te-iru form of suru, to do. Te-iru describes an action in progress, like English -ing, and also a habit or ongoing state. In speech the i drops out, so shite iru becomes shiteru, and that is the form you will hear in almost every casual question.

Because te-iru covers habits, nani o shite imasu ka can mean what do you do as well as what are you doing. Shūmatsu wa nani o shite imasu ka asks what you usually do at weekends, and o-shigoto wa nani o shite imasu ka asks about your job. The respectful sarete imasu raises the politeness for someone you want to honour.

Casual: nani shiteru? and how friends reply

Nani shiteru? is the friendly check-in. Nani shiteru no? adds a softer, more curious no, and is very common. Nani shiten no? is a slurred casual version you will hear among young people. Nani yatteru? uses yaru, a rougher verb for do, and is fine between close friends.

Replies are usually short and use te-iru too: gohan tabeteru, I'm eating; uchi de gorogoro shiteru, lazing around at home; benkyō shiteru, studying. Betsu ni, nani mo, nothing much, is the classic shrug. Add hima, I'm free, and you have signalled that you are open to plans.

Polite: asking colleagues, teachers and strangers

The textbook nani o shite imasu ka is grammatically fine, but asked of a colleague or a stranger out of the blue it can sound nosy, like checking up on them. In polite situations, Japanese usually asks with a reason. If you are curious about something you can see, nani o shite iru n desu ka or nani o tsukutte iru n desu ka, what are you making, sounds interested rather than suspicious.

If you really want to know whether someone is busy, ask that instead: ima, o-jikan yoroshii desu ka, do you have a moment now? That is what most people mean at work when they would say what are you doing in English.

Texting: ima nani shiteru?

In messages the question is often written in hiragana or a mix: 今なにしてる？ or いま何してるー？ with a stretched vowel to sound relaxed. Many people use it as a lead-in, so the next message is often an invitation: hima nara, nomi ni ikanai? if you're free, want to grab a drink?

Replies in texts are even shorter than in speech: ima densha, on the train now; neteta, I was asleep; shigoto chū, at work. Nani shiteta no? asks what someone was doing, for example after they did not reply for hours, and can sound slightly suspicious between partners, so add a smile emoji if you only mean to be curious.

Tone: when it sounds like an accusation

The same words can be a friendly question or a scolding. When a parent finds a child covered in flour, nani shiteru no!? with a sharp, falling tone means what on earth are you doing. Chotto, nani yatteru no! is stronger. Between adults, a sudden nani shiteru n desu ka! said sharply is a complaint, for example to someone cutting in line.

To keep the question friendly, soften the tone, add a comment first, or explain why you are asking: tanoshisō da ne, nani shiteru no? looks fun, what are you doing? A smile and a rising intonation do most of the work.

Answering when someone asks you

When a colleague, a teacher or a shop clerk asks what you are doing, answer with the te-iru form and, if it helps, a reason: shiryō o tsukutte imasu, I'm preparing documents; tomodachi o matte imasu, I'm waiting for a friend. A short explanation keeps the answer friendly and stops it from sounding defensive.

If someone asks because you look lost, the question may be an offer of help in disguise: dō shimashita ka or nani ka o-sagashi desu ka, are you looking for something. A clear answer such as eki o sagashite imasu, I'm looking for the station, turns it into a helpful exchange.

Among friends, it is also fine to bounce the question back: betsu ni. sotchi wa?, nothing much, you? That keeps a lazy chat going, which is often the whole point of nani shiteru.

Mini dialogue and common mistakes

• Nani o shimasu ka for right now: it means what will you do. Use shite iru.
• Anata wa nani o shite imasu ka: anata sounds distant and blunt. Drop it, or use the person's name.
• Asking a colleague nani o shite imasu ka out of the blue: ask o-jikan yoroshii desu ka instead.
• Using nani yatteru with people you should be polite to: yaru is casual and can sound rough.
• Forgetting tone: a flat or sharp nani shiteru no can sound like a scolding.