How to Say ‘So what are you here for?’ in Simplified Chinese
那你来干什么？
nà nǐ lái gàn shén me
[nà nee lie gàn shénme]
💬 Usage Tip: 干什么 (gàn shén me) means "do what" and is a very casual "what for". Adding 那 at the front gives it the "so then…" teasing edge.
🇨🇳 In China: Said with a smile right after someone says they don't drink, this is playful ribbing. In a flat tone it could sound rude, so delivery matters.
Phrase Breakdown
那你来
nà nǐ lái
Then you came
nà nǐ lái: 那 means 'then' or 'in that case'. Use a falling 'nà', a dipping 'nǐ' and a rising 'lái'.
那你来吧。
Then come on over.
Words in this phrase
那
nà
[nà]
then; in that case
Used at the start of a sentence to draw a conclusion from what was said.
那我们走吧。
Then let's go.
你
nǐ
[nee]
you
The informal or neutral word for “you,” suitable for peers or casual conversation.
如果对方和你年纪差不多，可以说“认识你”。
If the other person is about your age, you can say “nice to meet you” with 你.
来
lái
[lie]
to come
A verb meaning “to come,” often used when asking if someone has come to an event before.
你常来这样的行业活动吗？
Do you often come to these kinds of industry events?
干什么？
gàn shén me
To do what?
gàn shénme: a casual way to say 'do what' or 'what for'. Use a falling 'gàn'.
你在干什么？
What are you doing?
Words in this phrase
干什么
gàn shén me
[gàn shénme]
to do what; why
Asks what someone is doing or for what purpose; can sound teasing.
你在这儿干什么？
What are you doing here?
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