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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. "What are you up to?"

• Thread starter Thread starter NickJunior
• Start date Start date Jul 19, 2007

N

NickJunior

Senior Member

Khmer As I was walking in the hallway, a male coworker asked me this expression: "Hey there, what are you up to?" Trying to be spontaneous as I could, I answered him, "I am fine, thank you. The white clouds are up in the sky." What does the expression "What are you up to?" mean? Was I appropriate in answering him that I was fine and that the clouds were up in the sky? Appreciatively yours. L

Larentia

Member

United States USA -- English He probably thought you were being sarcastic or joking around with him. It means "what are you doing?" or something like "what's going on?" Example: Guy: "What are you up to?" Girl: "Oh, I'm just reading a book." X

xhalli

Senior Member

Mexico, DF México Spanish The expression means "What are you doing" but the meaning is what are you thinking about "what are you cooking up". For example: The baby is quiet, I wonder what he is up to.

Black Opal

Senior Member

United Kingdom English It's just a friendly greeting, which also means How are things? What have you been doing lately? How are you doing? On a more sinister level he could have been worried that you were 'up to something' which can mean you were doing things you shouldn't have been doing. It would be obvious in his tone of voice if he meant it that way though.

GreenWhiteBlue

Banned

The City of New York USA - English

NickJunior said: What does the expression "What are you up to?" mean? Click to expand...

It means "What are you doing now?" "How are things with you? " "What is new with you?" It is a common way to greet someone or open a conversation. A related question is "What's up?"

Was I appropriate in answering him that I was fine Click to expand...

It is a bit uncommon as a response, but it would be acceptable.

and that the clouds were up in the sky? Click to expand...

That response would seem very strange to me. If the question had actually been "What's up?", I would understand a response of "The clouds are up in the sky" either as an attempt at humor, or an attempt at mockery and sarcasm, depending on how well I got along witht he person who said it and what tone of voice was used.

coiffe

Senior Member

USA American English

NickJunior said: As I was walking in the hallway, a male coworker asked me this expression: "Hey there, what are you up to?" Trying to be spontaneous as I could, I answered him, "I am fine, thank you. The white clouds are up in the sky." What does the expression "What are you up to?" mean? Was I appropriate in answering him that I was fine and that the clouds were up in the sky? Appreciatively yours. Click to expand...

I think the most easygoing and common response to "What are you up to," in conversational English, is simply "Not much." (Unless you have news to share with him about what you've been doing.) And then you could follow with something like "How about you? What's new with you?" M

mjscott

Senior Member

Pacific Northwest, USA American English

coiffe said: I think the most easygoing and common response to "What are you up to," in conversational English, is simply "Not much." (Unless you have news to share with him about what you've been doing.) And then you could follow with something like "How about you? What's new with you?" Click to expand...

Also, "Not much, what's up with you?"

coiffe

Senior Member

USA American English

mjscott said: Also, "Not much, what's up with you?" Click to expand...

Yes, exactly.

zaffy

Senior Member

Polish

GreenWhiteBlue said: It means "What are you doing now?" "How are things with you? " "What is new with you?" Click to expand...

So I might be asking about what a person is doing exactly now, for example in a phone conversation: A: What are up to, Tom? B: I'm having dinner. I'm leaving for work in a minute. or I might be asking about someone's present life, for example, I bump into someone: A: What are you up to, Tom? B: Well, things have changed a lot. I got married and we are going to have a baby next month. Am I right?

ewie

Senior Member

Manchester English English (1) A: Have you got time to talk? I hope I haven't disturbed you. Etc. what are you up to? feels too vague to me. (2) A: What are you up to these days? What have you been up to since we last met? Same comment You must log in or register to reply here. Share: Bluesky LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

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