How to Say “What Are You Doing?” in Turkish
The usual way to say “What are you doing?” in Turkish is Ne yapıyorsun? It is informal: for friends, family and people your own age. Below are 3 alternatives (colloquial, formal), how to reply, an example dialogue and the grammar behind it.
In Turkish
Ne yapıyorsun?
- Literally
- “what are you doing?”
- Register
- Informalfor friends, family and people your own age
How Ne yapıyorsun? is built
- newhat
- yap-do
- -ıyor-present continuous
- -sunyou
Other ways to say “What are you doing?”
- N'apıyorsun?Colloquial
“what are you doing?”
Spoken contraction; also common in texts.
- Ne yapıyorsunuz?Formal
“what are you doing? (polite or plural)”
Polite or to a group.
- Bu akşam ne yapıyorsun?Informal
“what are you doing tonight?”
Often an invitation in disguise.
How to reply
Hiç, evdeyim.
Nothing, I’m at home.
Ders çalışıyorum.
I’m studying.
Yemek yapıyorum.
I’m cooking.
Example dialogue
- A
N'apıyorsun?
What are you up to?
- B
Hiç, televizyon izliyorum. Sen?
Nothing, watching TV. You?
Related phrases
All phrases →More small talk & introductions
Go deeper
“What are you doing?” in Turkish: FAQ
How do you say “What are you doing” in Turkish?
The most common way is Ne yapıyorsun? (literally “what are you doing?”), which is informal: for friends, family and people your own age. You will also hear N'apıyorsun (“what are you doing?”): spoken contraction; also common in texts.
How do you reply to Ne yapıyorsun?
Typical replies are Hiç, evdeyim. (“Nothing, I’m at home.”) and Ders çalışıyorum. (“I’m studying.”).
What does each part of Ne yapıyorsun mean?
ne = what; yap- = do; -ıyor- = present continuous; -sun = you. Ne yapıyorsun is both “what are you doing right now?” and a casual “how are things?” in messages.
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