How to Say ‘What do I do?’ in Japanese
何をしますか
nani o shi masu ka
[nah-nee oh shee mahs kah]
💬 Usage Tip: Natural in instruction settings. Even more polite/soft: [何をしたらいいですか] “What should I do?”
🇯🇵 In Japan: At city halls/banks, asking clearly is appreciated. Pair with [すみません] first: [すみません、何をしますか].
Phrase Breakdown
何
nani
[nah-nee]
what
In this question, 何 asks “what (thing).” Often sounds like なん in 何をしますか depending on speech speed, but meaning is “what.”
次に何をしますか。
What do we do next?
を
o
[oh]
object marker (particle)
Marks 何 as the thing being done: 何をする = “do what.”
今日は何をしますか。
What will you do today?
します
shi masu
do / will do
Polite present/future form of する (to do). Used for actions; can mean “do” or “will do” depending on context.
今から掃除します。
I’ll clean from now.
Words in this phrase
し
shi
[shee]
do (polite)
The verb する (“do”). In questions it asks about an action/plan: 何をしますか = “What will you do?”
今から何をしますか。
What will you do from now?
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite verb ending (ます-form)
Makes the verb polite, suitable for formal situations (work, service).
週末は何をしますか。
What will you do on the weekend?
か
ka
[kah]
question particle; indicates a question
Turns the whole sentence into a question: 何をしますか?
次は何をしますか。
What do we do next?
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