Cool MateWhat are you going to do vs What you gonna do
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
What are you going to do
Top 2,000 (common)
What you gonna do
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most formal: What are you going to do
| What are you going to do | What you gonna do | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //wɒt əː jʊ ˈɡəʊɪŋ tə duː//🇺🇸 //wɑt ɑr jʊ ˈɡoʊɪŋ tʊ du// | 🇬🇧 //wɒt jʊ ˈɡənə dʊ//🇺🇸 //wɑt jə ˈɡɑnə du// |
| Meaning | What plans do you have? | What are you going to do? |
| Example | So, what are you going to do this weekend? | So, what you gonna do after school? |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | going to do something, going to do today, what are you going to do next? | What you gonna do next, What you gonna do now, What you gonna do later |
| Common mistakes | Inverted order: Saying 'Are you going to do what?' incorrectly., Using past tense: Saying 'What were you going to do?' when asking about future plans., Missing subject: Saying 'What going to do?' instead of 'What are you going to do?' | Using 'what you gonna do' without context is vague., Confusing it with 'what are you going to do,' which is more formal., Omitting the subject and verb in more formal writing. |
| Usage notes | Use in casual conversations and when asking about future intentions. Avoid in very formal settings. | Used in casual conversation to ask about someone's plans. Not suitable for formal situations. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: What are you going to do vs What you gonna do
What's the difference between What are you going to do and What you gonna do?
What are you going to do: What plans do you have? What you gonna do: What are you going to do?
Which is more formal: What are you going to do and What you gonna do?
What are you going to do is the most formal of these.
Can you show an example of each?
What are you going to do: So, what are you going to do this weekend? What you gonna do: So, what you gonna do after school?
Can I use What are you going to do and What you gonna do interchangeably?
Not always. What are you going to do and What you gonna do are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.