你在做什么？

Learning Chinese: How to Ask "What Are You Doing?" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 你在做什么？
Pinyin: Nǐ zài zuò shén me?
Pronunciation: ni3 zai4 zuo4 shen2 me5
English Translation: What are you doing?

Usage:

"你在做什么？ (Nǐ zài zuò shén me?)" is a common question used to ask someone what they are currently doing or what their plans are. It can be used in both formal and informal settings.

Example:

Chinese: 你在做什么？
Pinyin: Nǐ zài zuò shén me?
English: What are you doing?
Variations:

There are a few variations of "你在做什么？ (Nǐ zài zuò shén me?)" that you may hear:

你忙什么呢？(Nǐ máng shén me ne?) - A more polite way to ask someone what they are doing, especially if you are not close friends.
你现在在做什么？(Nǐ xiàn zài zài zuò shén me?) - Emphasizes the present moment.
Tips for Learning:

Practice saying "你在做什么？ (Nǐ zài zuò shén me?)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
Listen to native Chinese speakers asking "what are you doing?" to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
Use "你在做什么？ (Nǐ zài zuò shén me?)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.
Additional Notes:

"你在做什么？ (Nǐ zài zuò shén me?)" is a versatile question that can be used in a variety of situations.
It is important to pay attention to the context and tone of voice when asking this question, as it can be perceived as rude if asked too abruptly or in a demanding manner.
To respond to the question "你在做什么？ (Nǐ zài zuò shén me?)", you can simply state what you are currently doing. For example, you could say "我在学习中文 (Wǒ zài xué xí zhōng wén)", which means "I am studying Chinese."