Cool MateWhat you doing vs What's up?
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
What you doing
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
What's up?
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
| What you doing | What's up? | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //wɒt jʊ ˈduːɪŋ//🇺🇸 //wɑt jʊ ˈduɪŋ// | 🇬🇧 //wɒts ʌp//🇺🇸 //wɑts ʌp// |
| Meaning | A question asking someone about their current activity. | A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening. |
| Example | Hey, what you doing after work? | When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?' |
| Register | Informal | Informal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | What you doing tonight?, What you doing later?, What you doing this week? | What's up, buddy?, What's up, man?, What's up with that?, Hey, what's up?, So, what's up? |
| Common mistakes | Omitting 'you' when asking someone directly., Using 'What you doing?' without proper punctuation., Confusing it with 'What are you doing?' in formal situations. | Using it in a formal meeting where a respectful greeting is expected., Misunderstanding it as a question requiring a detailed answer., Not responding appropriately with a casual reply. |
| Usage notes | Use when casually asking a friend or acquaintance about what they're currently engaged in. Avoid in formal contexts or professional settings. | Used mainly in casual conversations among friends. It may not be appropriate in formal situations. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: What you doing vs What's up?
What's the difference between What you doing and What's up??
What you doing: A question asking someone about their current activity. What's up?: A casual way to ask someone how they are or what's happening.
Can you show an example of each?
What you doing: Hey, what you doing after work? What's up?: When I saw my friend, I casually said, 'What's up?'
Can I use What you doing and What's up? interchangeably?
Not always. What you doing and What's up? 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.