How to Say ‘What’s up?’ in Japanese
どうしたの？
dou shi ta n
[doh-oh shee tah noh]
💬 Usage Tip: [どうしたの？] is casual and caring. It can mean “What happened?” or “What’s wrong?” depending on context.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Use this with friends, family, or close coworkers. In formal settings, a softer option like [どうしましたか？] is safer.
Phrase Breakdown
どう
dou
[doh-oh]
how; what happened
Used at the start of a question asking what is wrong or what happened.
どうしたのか、みんなが心配している。
Everyone is worried about what happened.
し
shi
[shee]
do (verb stem)
The stem of する, appearing inside many common expressions.
早くしないと遅れるよ。
If you don't do it quickly, you'll be late.
た
ta
[tah]
past marker
Part of the past form in verbs like した, showing completed action.
昨日そう思った。
I thought so yesterday.
の
n
[noh]
explanatory question particle
Adds explanation or softens a question, common in casual speech.
何をしているの。
What are you doing?
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