# What are you doing?



## chris4984

Ciao! Che cosa è la traduzione corretta di "What are you doing?". Ho sentito sia "Cosa fai?" che "Cosa stai facendo?" Quale è corretto? Posso dire l'uno o l'altro? Grazie mille!!

P.S. Please correct my italian. This is the first time I have tried to post a question in italian. Thanks!!


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## claudine2006

chris4984 said:
			
		

> Ciao! Qual è la traduzione corretta di "What are you doing?". Ho sentito sia "Cosa fai?" sia "Cosa stai facendo?" Qual è corretto? Posso dire l'uno o l'altro? Grazie mille!!
> 
> P.S. Please correct my italian. This is the first time I have tried to post a question in italian. Thanks!!


 
Davvero complimenti per il tuo italiano!
Secondo me entrambe le traduzioni sono corrette.


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## chris4984

Grazie!! I thought I made more mistakes than that! I have been practicing and studying italian a lot Italian lately and I guess I am getting better at it!


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## claudine2006

chris4984 said:
			
		

> Grazie!! I thought I made more mistakes than that! I have been practicing and studying italian a lot Italian lately and I guess I am getting better at it!


Sei proprio sulla buona strada! Si notano gli sforzi fatti fino ad ora! Complimenti!


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## moodywop

I'll join my friend Claudine and compliment you on your Italian 

If "what are you doing" means "right now" then you can use "che/cosa fai" or "che/cosa stai facendo" more or less indifferently.

If a future time phrase is added (or implied) then you can only say "che/cosa fai":

- Io stasera me ne sto a casa. Sono distrutto! Tu invece cosa fai? [stasera]
- Penso di andare al cinema


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## chris4984

moodywop said:
			
		

> I'll join my friend Claudine and compliment you on your Italian
> 
> If "what are you doing" means "right now" then you can use "che/cosa fai" or "che/cosa stai facendo" more or less indifferently.
> 
> If a future time phrase is added (or implied) then you can only say "che/cosa fai":
> 
> - Io stasera me ne sto a casa. Sono distrutto! Tu invece cosa fai? [stasera]
> - Penso di andare al cinema


 
Moodywop, I have a question about the line "Io stasera me ne sto a casa". One of the things I have a lot of trouble with in Italian is the use of 'ne'. In this case, what does it mean?? The general meaning I get from that sentence is "This evening I'm staying at home". But what do the pronouns 'me' and 'ne' refer to in this sentence? Grazie!


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## b2b

chris4984 said:
			
		

> Moodywop, I have a question about the line "Io stasera me ne sto a casa". One of the things I have a lot of trouble with in Italian is the use of 'ne'. In this case, what does it mean?? The general meaning I get from that sentence is "This evening I'm staying at home". But what do the pronouns 'me' and 'ne' refer to in this sentence? Grazie!



"Io questa sera (stasera) sto a casa" is a valid sentence in Italian. I'm not really sure about this, but "me ne" is used only to stress that the subject is "io" (this form is more common in Italian)
(how can I say "rafforzativo" in English...)

Ciao


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## moodywop

I'm a bit late responding but b2b has already explained that "me ne" is a sort of colloquial idiomatic intensifier here. In my sentence it suggested my looking forward to staying at home, "nice and cosy", after a hard day's work.

It can also express affection and caring. For example, if I saw a child sulking in a corner while all the other kids are playing I could say "Perché *te ne* stai lì tutto solo?".


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## flossy

Hi there I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me translate from English to Italian the following phrases and questions.. 

thank  you in advance for your help

What are you doing?

once again thank you


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## cannaderby

Hi everyone! How do you distinguish between:

*What do you do?* (i.e. I'm a teacher etc) 
*and*
*What are you doing?* (tonight, tomorrow etc)

Are they both  "*Che cosa fai*?" ?

Thanks!


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## Paulfromitaly

*What do yu do?* = che lavoro fai? di che cosa ti occupi?
*What are you doing tonight?* = che programmi hai per stasera? che intenzioni hai per stasera? cosa fai stasera?


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## cannaderby

Ho capito, grazie... 

so "Che cosa fai" means nothing?


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## gregitaliano

Hi

I am trying to understand the use of the *gerund* at the moment but am having problems with the following type of example when *stare* is used in the construction

What is the difference between saying to somebody-*'Che cosa fai?'* and *'Che cosa stai facendo?'*

Much appreciated

Greg


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## Parergon

Che costa stai facendo? is What are you doing? it refers to a specific moment, therefore to a specific action.
Che cosa fai? is What do you do? its meaning is broader and it does not necessarily refer to a specific moment. For instance, you can also ask such a question to know what someone does for a living.

In colloquial Italian, you can ask "che cosa fai" meaning "what are you doing".

That's my two cents. I am sure, more accurate answers/explanations will be posted soon.


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## Paulfromitaly

If you want to know what your friend is doing right now you can either ask "che cosa fai?" or " che cosa stai facendo?" and they both mean "What are you doing (right now)?".
If you're having a chat with someone and you want to know what's their job, you can ask "tu che cosa fai?" (what do you do?)
I wouldn't be the best and clearest way to ask such a question, yet it'd be understandable.


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## shamblesuk

Italian uses the gerund at lot less of ten than English does, and in time you'll save time when realising you can use the present tense where in English you can only use the gerund.

Lee


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## runningman

Che cosa fai? in Italian can be used both with an action in progress (thus having the same meaning of "What are you doing?") and with an usual action (What do you do?). 

It is the context that specifies the connotation of the question.


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## gregitaliano

Hi 

Just a note to say thanks for the help everybody

Greg


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## Canna823

Hi, are all of the following correct translation for "what are you doing?"

*Che cosa fai?*
*Che fai?*
*Cosa fai?*

*Che cosa stai facendo?*
*Che stai facendo?*
*Cosa stai facendo?*

Which ones are the most common?

Grazie!


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## Hockey13

Canna823 said:


> Hi, are all of the following correct translation for "what are you doing?"
> 
> *Che cosa fai?*
> *Che fai?*
> *Cosa fai?*
> 
> *Che cosa stai facendo?*
> *Che stai facendo?*
> *Cosa stai facendo?*
> 
> Which ones are the most common?
> 
> Grazie!


 
They're all right. I believe the simple form, _Che [cosa] fai?_, is the most common, though probably not by far..


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## fra.m

Hi Canna823,
the phrase: "what are you doing?" is literally translated: 
"Che cosa stai facendo?" or "Che stai facendo?" or "Cosa stai facendo?".
The phrase is translated in this way because the verb is conjugated on the present continuous.
The translations that you wrote are all correct and all are usually used, but there is a little difference between these groups.

The first: 
*Che cosa fai?*
*Che fai?*
*Cosa fai?*
In these phrases the verbs are conjugated on the present.

The second:
*Che cosa stai facendo?*
*Che stai facendo?*
*Cosa stai facendo?*
In these phrases the verbs are conjugated on the present continuous.
This tense focalizes the attention on an action in progress.

In this case the different tenses change only a little the meaning of the question.


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## Londoner06

Buonasera amici,

Is there a difference in usage between:

_Cosa fai?_

_Cosa stai facendo?_

Tante grazie!  

Alex


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## Murphy

Londoner06 said:


> Buonasera amici,
> 
> Is there a difference in usage between:
> 
> _Cosa fai? "What do you do?" and also "what are you doing?"_
> 
> _Cosa stai facendo? "What are you doing?" (only present continuous)_
> 
> Tante grazie!
> 
> Alex


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## runningman

The interpretation of  Cosa fai? as What do you do? or as What are you doing? depends on the context in which the expression is used


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## arnold_84

Hi, in my opinion... mhh... I fell free to say you that it's practically the same... not difference between them.

Alla prox!


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## Londoner06

OK, let's say I phone a friend and ask: _What are you doing? _I would use _Cosa stai facendo? _(at the present moment).

In English _What do you do?_ is used when asking someone what they do for a living. So in this case I would use _Cosa fai? _Ho ragione?

Alex


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## arnold_84

... in italian language the difference is only in your "intonation"... when you phone you could use "Cosa fai?", "Cosa stai facendo?", "Cosa combini?"... not difference between!

Ciau!


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## Londoner06

arnold_84 said:


> ... in italian language the difference is only in your "intonation"... when you phone you could use "Cosa fai?", "Cosa stai facendo?", "Cosa combini?"... not difference between!
> 
> Ciau!


 
Grazie Arnold, _hasta la vista!  _

_Alex_


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## beckles182

What about you (pl)? is it..

Che state facendo?
Che stati facendo?

Referring to a photo and wondering "what are you doing?!?"

Grazie a tutti

Beck


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## Danieloid

beckles182 said:


> What about you (pl)? is it..
> 
> Che state facendo?
> Che stati facendo?
> 
> Referring to a photo and wondering "what are you doing?!?"
> 
> Grazie a tutti
> 
> Beck


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## beckles182

Thanks for that!


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## kc1005

Come si dice "What are you doing (going to do) with it"?  Sarebbe "Cosa ci fai"?


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## Alessandrino

"What are you doing with it": "Cosa ci stai facendo";
"What are you going to do with it": "Cosa hai intenzione di farci".


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## Holymaloney

Hi !
Maybe also: "...cosa te ne fai (di questo)?..."
Cheers


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