What are you doing ? vs What do you do?

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'What are you doing?' is used to ask about someone's current activity, while 'What do you do?' is used to inquire about someone's occupation or job.

Last updated: March 27, 2024 • 1206 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used to ask about someone's current activity.

"What are you doing ?"

This phrase is used to inquire about what someone is currently engaged in or working on.

Examples:

What are you doing this weekend?
What are you doing right now?
What are you doing for your birthday?
What are you doing in the kitchen?
What are you doing in your room?

Show examples from the web [+]

What are you doing? to strike again.
Or your desires What are you doing?
"What are you doing?" he shouted.
What are you doing? - He's lying.
What are you doing? It's game time.
What are you doing? - ...with your name on them.
What are you doing? - I'm just checking.
Speculation, examine - What are you doing?
But... What are you doing?
I thought I - What are you doing?
When we were growing up - What are you doing?
Aline screamed in the background, 'What are you doing?
What are you doing? -Back off.
What are you doing? Processing the vic's phone.
What are you doing? Bunch these tables more in the middle.
What are you doing? - Levelling off.
What are you doing? - Levelling off.
What are you doing? - Resting.
Welcome. What are you doing?
What are you doing? It's too dangerous.

Alternatives:

What are you up to?
What are you working on?
What are you busy with?
What are you occupied with?
What are you involved in?

This phrase is correct and commonly used to ask about someone's occupation or job.

"What do you do?"

This phrase is used to inquire about someone's profession or what they do for a living.

Examples:

What do you do for work?
What do you do in your free time?
What do you do to relax?
What do you do for a living?
What do you do on weekends?

Show examples from the web [+]

You encounter it within minutes at a party, when you get asked that famous iconic question of the early 21st century, "What do you do?"
And they're not the same What do you do?
There is so much information; what do you do?
But if you are, and you say to somebody, you know, they say, "What do you do?"
What do you do? What does a scientist do in that case?
Seriously, what do you do?
Seriously, what do you do?
So tell me, Jacob, what do you do?
During the day, what do you do?
What do you do? MICHAEL: I got a normal job.
"What do you do?", counters Jerry.
What do you do? Of course you can call the police.
[Chuckles] What do you do?
- What do you do? - The answer is surely?
An old girlfriend calls you out of the blue - What do you do?
And I said, "What do you do?"
It's not the heart. What do you do?
I said, "Great. What do you do?"
What do you do? Do you pull the patient back and try ibuprofen?
What do you do? I thought that was you but then confused me.

Alternatives:

What is your job?
What is your occupation?
What do you do for a living?
What is your profession?
What line of work are you in?

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What are you doing ? vs What do you do?