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How to Say ‘What did you do on the weekend?’ in Japanese

週末は何をしましたか？

shuumatsu wa nani o shi mashi ta ka

[SHOO-mah-tsoo wah na-ni wo shee mah-shee tah ka]

💬 Usage Tip: は here is said (wa), not (ha). It sets up the weekend as the topic, so 週末は works like "as for the weekend…".

Phrase Breakdown

週末は

shuumatsu wa

On the weekend

This sets the weekend as the topic. は is read 'wa'.

Example

週末は休みです。

I'm off on the weekend.

Words in this phrase

週末

shuumatsu

[SHOO-mah-tsoo]

weekend

Saturday and Sunday; the end of the week.

Example

週末に友達と会います。

I meet friends on the weekend.

は

[wah]

topic marker

は marks the topic of the sentence.

Example

空席はありますか。

Are there any seats available?

何をしましたか？

nani o shi mashi ta ka

What did you do?

This is nani o + shimashita ka. Say it smoothly, with a rising tone at the end.

Example

昨日、何をしましたか？

What did you do yesterday?

Words in this phrase

何

nani

[na-ni]

what

Used to ask for information about something.

Example

何が欲しい？

What do you want?

を

[wo]

direct object marker

Marks the direct object of a verb.

Example

本を読む。

Read a book.

し

shi

[shee]

し is the stem of する, meaning to do.

Example

予約しします。

I do the reservation.

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite past stem

Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.

Example

昨日は多くのことを学びました。

I learned many things yesterday.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

か

[ka]

question particle

Used to create a yes/no question in informal speech.

Example

行くか？

Shall we go?

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