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:

你在忙什么？(Nǐ zài máng shén me?): A more formal way to ask someone what they are doing, literally meaning "What are you busy with?"
你现在在做什么？(Nǐ xiàn zài zài zuò shén me?): Emphasizes the present moment, literally meaning "What are you doing right now?"
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.
To respond to the question, you can simply state what you are doing, for example: "我在学习中文。(Wǒ zài xué xí zhōng wén.)" (I am studying Chinese.)
You can also use "你在做什么？(Nǐ zài zuò shén me?)" to ask someone about their plans, for example: "你周末有什么计划？(Nǐ zhōu mò yǒu shén me jihua?)" (What are your plans for the weekend?)