Cool MateWhat did you say vs You what
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
What did you say
Top 2,000 (common)
You what
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: What did you sayMost common: What did you say
| What did you say | You what | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //wɒt dɪd jʊ seɪ//🇺🇸 //wɑt dɪd jə seɪ// | 🇬🇧 //juː wɒt//🇺🇸 //ju wɑt// |
| Meaning | A question asking someone to repeat what they said. | A response used to ask someone to repeat or clarify what they just said. |
| Example | I didn’t catch that; what did you say? | I didn't catch that, you what? |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| Collocations | What did you just say?, What did you say again?, What did you say next? | say you what, respond with you what, use you what |
| Common mistakes | Using 'What did you said?' instead of 'What did you say?', Forgetting to use intonation for questions., Confusing with 'What are you saying?' which can imply ongoing speech. | 'You what?' used in serious situations, it can come off as rude., Confusing 'you what?' with 'what do you mean?' which is more formal., Using it too often in conversations, can sound dismissive. |
| Usage notes | Used in conversations when the speaker did not hear or understand something. Appropriate in most informal and formal contexts. | Commonly used in casual conversations among friends. Avoid in formal settings as it may seem disrespectful or abrupt. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: What did you say vs You what
What's the difference between What did you say and You what?
What did you say: A question asking someone to repeat what they said. You what: A response used to ask someone to repeat or clarify what they just said.
Which is more formal: What did you say and You what?
What did you say is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: What did you say and You what?
What did you say is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
What did you say: I didn’t catch that; what did you say? You what: I didn't catch that, you what?
Can I use What did you say and You what interchangeably?
Not always. What did you say and You what 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.