Learning how to say what’s up in different languages helps you start friendly conversations worldwide. This common English greeting is a friendly English expression used in everyday conversations. However, its meaning often depends on cultural context, regional dialects, and the relationship between speakers. This guide explores what’s up in different languages, with natural translations, local expressions, and informal greetings you can use confidently.
Explore what’s up in all languages through useful what’s up translations, clear what’s up pronunciation, and example sentences. You’ll also discover casual greetings around the world, including native phrases and natural equivalents for chatting with international friends, classmates, and coworkers. Moreover, these foreign language translations explain how language and culture shape conversational phrases. Whether you’re traveling, texting, or learning foreign languages, this practical language guide helps you choose appropriate greetings and build stronger connections.
Interesting Facts About What’s Up
- It is an informal greeting: In everyday English, “What’s up?” frequently works like “Hi” or “How are you?” rather than a literal question about something above you.
- It can have several meanings: Depending on the conversation, it may ask what someone is doing, what is happening, or whether something is wrong.
- A short reply is perfectly natural: People may answer with “Not much,” “Nothing much,” “All good,” or “Just relaxing,” depending on the situation.
- Not every language uses the same greeting pattern: Some languages favor a question about someone’s well-being, while others commonly ask what the person is doing or what is happening.
- Informality matters: A phrase suitable for close friends may not be the best choice for a formal introduction, professional email, or conversation with an unfamiliar person.
- Spoken and written expressions can differ: Friends may use a shortened greeting in text messages that would sound unusual in a formal letter.
- Context influences translation: A translator should determine whether “What’s up?” means “How are you?”, “What are you doing?”, or “What’s happening?” before selecting an equivalent expression.
What Does What’s Up Mean?
“What’s up?” is an informal English greeting or question used to ask how someone is doing, what they are doing, or what is happening. In many casual conversations, it functions as a simple way to acknowledge another person and begin talking.
The phrase has several common interpretations:
- As a greeting: “Hey, what’s up?” can simply mean “Hi, how are you?”
- As a question about activities: Someone might ask “What’s up?” to find out what a friend is doing.
- As a question about events: It can mean “What’s happening?” when people want information about a situation.
- As a concerned question: With an appropriate tone, it may mean “What’s wrong?” when someone seems upset.
- As a casual text message: A short “What’s up?” can open a conversation without requiring a specific topic.
The phrase is generally informal, so its natural translation depends on the intended meaning. For this article, the translations focus primarily on the everyday greeting used with friends, classmates, relatives, and familiar people. Where another expression better communicates the original intent, that distinction is explained.
Why Can What’s Up Have Different Translations?
The phrase “What’s up?” does not have one universal translation because its meaning changes with context. A natural greeting in one language may focus on a person’s well-being, while another may ask what is happening or what is new.
Several factors influence the best translation:
- Context: A friendly greeting differs from a question about a problem.
- Formality: Some languages distinguish between addressing a friend and speaking to someone formally.
- Relationship: Friends may use slang, shortened expressions, or regional greetings.
- Gender and grammar: Certain languages change pronouns, verb forms, or adjectives according to gender or the person being addressed.
- Regional variation: Expressions used in Mexico, Spain, and Argentina, for example, are not always interchangeable.
- Spoken versus written language: A text message may use a shorter expression than a face-to-face conversation.
- Literal versus natural meaning: Translating the individual words “what” and “up” usually fails to preserve the English idiom.
For the tables below, the main goal is to translate the casual greeting meaning of “What’s up?” wherever possible. Some entries use a natural equivalent of “How’s it going?”, “What’s new?”, or “What’s happening?” rather than a literal translation. Examples demonstrate how each expression works in context.
European Languages
European languages belong to several language families, including Germanic, Romance, Slavic, and Uralic languages. Their everyday greetings differ in wording, formality, and conversational style. The following translations prioritize natural, informal ways to ask someone how things are going or what is happening.
English varieties
| 🌍 Language | Country/Region | Translation | Pronunciation | Example Sentence |
| English 🇬🇧🇺🇸 | United Kingdom, United States, and other English-speaking regions | What’s up? | wuts UP | “Hey, what’s up?” Meaning: A casual greeting. |
| American English 🇺🇸 | United States | What’s up? / What’s going on? | wuts UP / wuts GO-ing on | “Hey, Jake, what’s going on?” Meaning: Asking a friend how things are. |
| British English 🇬🇧 | United Kingdom | What’s up? / You alright? | wuts UP / yoo aw-RYTE | “Hi, mate, you alright?” Meaning: A casual greeting, not necessarily a sign of concern. |
| Australian English 🇦🇺 | Australia | What’s up? / How ya going? | wuts UP / how-yuh GO-ing | “G’day, how ya going?” Meaning: A friendly, informal greeting. |
The wording “What’s up?” is shared across these English varieties. Other expressions, such as “You alright?” in Britain and “How ya going?” in Australia, reflect local conversational preferences rather than exact equivalents in every situation.
European translation table
| 🌍 Language | Country/Region | Translation | Pronunciation | Example Sentence |
| Spanish 🇪🇸 | Spain and Latin America | ¿Qué tal? | keh TAL | “Hola, Ana, ¿qué tal?” Meaning: Hi, Ana, what’s up? |
| French 🇫🇷 | France, Belgium, Switzerland, and other Francophone regions | Quoi de neuf ? | kwah duh NUHF | “Salut, quoi de neuf ?” Meaning: Hey, what’s new? |
| German 🇩🇪 | Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland | Was geht? | vahs gayt | “Hey, was geht bei dir?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up with you? |
| Italian 🇮🇹 | Italy and Italian-speaking regions | Come va? | KOH-meh vah | “Ciao, Luca, come va?” Meaning: Hi, Luca, how’s it going? |
| Portuguese 🇵🇹🇧🇷 | Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions | Tudo bem? | TOO-doo beng | “Oi, Ana, tudo bem?” Meaning: Hi, Ana, everything good? |
| Dutch 🇳🇱 | Netherlands and Dutch-speaking Belgium | Hoe gaat het? | hoo khaht het | “Hé, hoe gaat het?” Meaning: Hey, how’s it going? |
| Swedish 🇸🇪 | Sweden and Swedish-speaking communities | Hur är läget? | huur air LEH-get | “Hej, hur är läget?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Norwegian 🇳🇴 | Norway | Hva skjer? | vah share | “Hei, hva skjer?” Meaning: Hey, what’s happening? |
| Danish 🇩🇰 | Denmark | Hvad så? | veh soh | “Hej, hvad så?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Finnish 🇫🇮 | Finland | Mitä kuuluu? | MEE-tah KOO-loo | “Hei, mitä kuuluu?” Meaning: Hi, how are things? |
| Icelandic 🇮🇸 | Iceland | Hvað segirðu? | kvath SAY-irr-thoo | “Hæ, hvað segirðu?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Irish 🇮🇪 | Ireland | Cén scéal? | kayn shkayl | “A Sheáin, cén scéal?” Meaning: Sean, what’s the story? |
| Welsh 🏴 | Wales | Sut mae? | sit MYE | “Shwmae, sut mae?” Meaning: Hi, how’s it going? |
| Polish 🇵🇱 | Poland | Co tam? | tsoh tahm | “Cześć, co tam?” Meaning: Hi, what’s up? |
| Czech 🇨🇿 | Czechia | Jak se máš? | yak seh mahsh | “Ahoj, jak se máš?” Meaning: Hi, how are you? |
| Slovak 🇸🇰 | Slovakia | Ako sa máš? | AH-koh sah mahsh | “Ahoj, ako sa máš?” Meaning: Hi, how are you? |
| Ukrainian 🇺🇦 | Ukraine | Як справи? | yak SPRA-vy | “Привіт, як справи?” Meaning: Hi, how are things? |
| Russian 🇷🇺 | Russia and Russian-speaking communities | Как дела? | kak dee-LAH | “Привет, как дела?” Meaning: Hi, how’s it going? |
| Romanian 🇷🇴 | Romania and Moldova | Ce mai faci? | cheh my fach | “Salut, ce mai faci?” Meaning: Hi, what’s up? |
| Hungarian 🇭🇺 | Hungary | Mi újság? | mee OOY-shahg | “Szia, mi újság?” Meaning: Hi, what’s new? |
| Greek 🇬🇷 | Greece and Cyprus | Τι γίνεται; | tee YEE-neh-teh | “Γεια, τι γίνεται;” Meaning: Hey, what’s happening? |
| Bulgarian 🇧🇬 | Bulgaria | Какво става? | kak-VOH STAH-vah | “Здрасти, какво става?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Croatian 🇭🇷 | Croatia | Što ima? | shtoh EE-mah | “Bok, što ima?” Meaning: Hi, what’s up? |
| Serbian 🇷🇸 | Serbia and Serbian-speaking communities | Шта има? | shtah EE-mah | “Ћао, шта има?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Slovenian 🇸🇮 | Slovenia | Kaj dogaja? | kye doh-GAH-yah | “Živjo, kaj dogaja?” Meaning: Hey, what’s happening? |
| Lithuanian 🇱🇹 | Lithuania | Kaip sekasi? | kype seh-KAH-see | “Labas, kaip sekasi?” Meaning: Hi, how’s it going? |
| Latvian 🇱🇻 | Latvia | Kā iet? | kah yet | “Sveiks, kā iet?” Meaning: Hi, how’s it going? |
| Estonian 🇪🇪 | Estonia | Kuidas läheb? | KOOY-dahs LA-hep | “Tere, kuidas läheb?” Meaning: Hi, how are things? |
| Albanian 🇦🇱 | Albania and Albanian-speaking communities | Si po shkon? | see poh shkon | “Hej, si po shkon?” Meaning: Hey, how’s it going? |
| Catalan 🏴 | Catalonia and other Catalan-speaking areas | Què tal? | keh TAL | “Hola, què tal?” Meaning: Hi, what’s up? |
| Galician 🇪🇸 | Galicia, Spain | Que tal? | keh TAL | “Ola, que tal?” Meaning: Hi, how’s it going? |
| Basque 🏴 | Basque Country in Spain and France | Zer moduz? | sehr moh-DOOS | “Kaixo, zer moduz?” Meaning: Hi, how are you? |
Cultural notes for European languages
In Spanish, ¿Qué tal? is a versatile greeting, while ¿Qué onda? is especially associated with casual conversation in Mexico and some nearby regions. French speakers may use Quoi de neuf ? with friends, but Comment allez-vous ? is more suitable in many formal situations.
German Was geht?, Polish Co tam?, and Croatian Što ima? are casual expressions. In Finnish, Mitä kuuluu? is closer to “How are things?” than to a literal question about what is happening. The best choice is the expression that fits the conversation, not necessarily the one that matches each English word.
Asian Languages
Asia has a wide range of language families, writing systems, and conversational customs. Some languages use greetings that ask about a person’s well-being, while others more directly ask what is happening or what is new. The translations below focus on everyday, friendly conversation, with regional differences noted where useful.
| 🌍 Language | Country/Region | Translation | Pronunciation | Example Sentence |
| Mandarin Chinese 🇨🇳 | China, Taiwan, and Chinese-speaking communities | 最近怎么样？ | zuìjìn zěnmeyàng | “嗨，最近怎么样？” Meaning: Hey, how have you been lately? |
| Cantonese 🇭🇰 | Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong | 最近點呀？ | zeoi3 gan6 dim2 aa3 | “喂，最近點呀？” Meaning: Hey, how are things lately? |
| Japanese 🇯🇵 | Japan | 最近どう？ | saikin dō? | “やあ、最近どう？” Meaning: Hey, what’s up lately? |
| Korean 🇰🇷 | South Korea and Korean-speaking communities | 어떻게 지내? | eotteoke jinae? | “요즘 어떻게 지내?” Meaning: How have you been lately? |
| Hindi 🇮🇳 | India and Hindi-speaking communities | क्या हाल है? | kya haal hai? | “अरे, क्या हाल है?” Meaning: Hey, how are things? |
| Urdu 🇵🇰 | Pakistan and Urdu-speaking communities | کیا حال ہے؟ | kya haal hai? | “ارے، کیا حال ہے؟” Meaning: Hey, how are things? |
| Bengali 🇧🇩🇮🇳 | Bangladesh and West Bengal, India | কী খবর? | ki khobor? | “এই, কী খবর?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Punjabi 🇵🇰🇮🇳 | Punjab in Pakistan and India | ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਹੈ? / کیا حال اے؟ | ki haal hai? / ki haal ae? | “ਓਏ, ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਹੈ?” Meaning: Hey, how are you? |
| Gujarati 🇮🇳 | Gujarat, India | શું ચાલે છે? | shun chaa-le chhe? | “હાય, શું ચાલે છે?” Meaning: Hey, what’s going on? |
| Marathi 🇮🇳 | Maharashtra, India | काय चाललंय? | kaay chaal-lay? | “अरे, काय चाललंय?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Tamil 🇮🇳🇱🇰 | Tamil Nadu, India, Sri Lanka, and Tamil-speaking communities | என்ன விசேஷம்? | enna vishēsham? | “வணக்கம், என்ன விசேஷம்?” Meaning: Hi, what’s new? |
| Telugu 🇮🇳 | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India | ఏంటి సంగతులు? | ēnti sangatulu? | “హాయ్, ఏంటి సంగతులు?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Kannada 🇮🇳 | Karnataka, India | ಏನು ಸಮಾಚಾರ? | ēnu samāchāra? | “ಹಾಯ್, ಏನು ಸಮಾಚಾರ?” Meaning: Hey, what’s new? |
| Malayalam 🇮🇳 | Kerala, India | എന്തൊക്കെയുണ്ട് വിശേഷം? | enthokkeyundu vishēsham? | “ഹായ്, എന്തൊക്കെയുണ്ട് വിശേഷം?” Meaning: Hey, what’s new? |
| Nepali 🇳🇵 | Nepal and Nepali-speaking communities | के छ खबर? | ke chha khabar? | “नमस्ते, के छ खबर?” Meaning: Hi, what’s up? |
| Sinhala 🇱🇰 | Sri Lanka | මොකද වෙන්නේ? | mokada wenne? | “ආයුබෝවන්, මොකද වෙන්නේ?” Meaning: Hello, what’s happening? |
| Thai 🇹🇭 | Thailand | เป็นไงบ้าง? | pen ngai bang? | “เฮ้ เป็นไงบ้าง?” Meaning: Hey, how’s it going? |
| Vietnamese 🇻🇳 | Vietnam | Dạo này thế nào? | zao nay teh now? | “Chào bạn, dạo này thế nào?” Meaning: Hi, how have you been lately? |
| Indonesian 🇮🇩 | Indonesia | Apa kabar? | AH-pah KAH-bar | “Hai, apa kabar?” Meaning: Hi, how are you? |
| Malay 🇲🇾 | Malaysia, Brunei, and Malay-speaking communities | Apa khabar? | AH-pah KHA-bar | “Hai, apa khabar?” Meaning: Hey, how are you? |
| Filipino/Tagalog 🇵🇭 | Philippines | Anong balita? | ah-NONG bah-LEE-tah | “Uy, anong balita?” Meaning: Hey, what’s the news? |
| Burmese 🇲🇲 | Myanmar | ဘာသတင်းရှိလဲ။ | ba tha-din shi le? | “ဟေး၊ ဘာသတင်းရှိလဲ။” Meaning: Hey, what’s new? |
| Khmer 🇰🇭 | Cambodia | មានអីថ្មី? | mean ey thmei? | “សួស្តី មានអីថ្មី?” Meaning: Hello, anything new? |
| Lao 🇱🇦 | Laos | ເປັນແນວໃດ? | pen naeo dai? | “ສະບາຍດີ, ເປັນແນວໃດ?” Meaning: Hello, how’s it going? |
| Mongolian 🇲🇳 | Mongolia | Юу байна? | yuu baina? | “Сайн уу, юу байна?” Meaning: Hi, what’s up? |
| Kazakh 🇰🇿 | Kazakhstan and Kazakh-speaking communities | Қалайсың? | qalaysyñ? | “Сәлем, қалайсың?” Meaning: Hi, how are you? |
| Uzbek 🇺🇿 | Uzbekistan and Uzbek-speaking communities | Nima gap? | nee-mah gap | “Salom, nima gap?” Meaning: Hi, what’s up? |
| Turkish 🇹🇷 | Türkiye and Turkish-speaking communities | Ne haber? | neh hah-BEHR | “Selam, ne haber?” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
Cultural notes for Asian languages
In Mandarin Chinese, 最近怎么样？ asks how things have been lately, making it a useful conversational opener. Cantonese has its own vocabulary and pronunciation, so Mandarin and Cantonese should not be treated as interchangeable spoken varieties.
Japanese and Korean require attention to politeness levels. The casual Japanese 最近どう？ and Korean 어떻게 지내? are suitable for familiar people, while more polite alternatives are preferable with strangers or in formal settings.
In Hindi and Urdu, क्या हाल है؟ / کیا حال ہے؟ communicates “How are things?” The scripts differ, but the expressions are closely related. Indonesian Apa kabar? and Malay Apa khabar? are also similar, although spelling and usage vary.
For travel, learning a neutral greeting first and listening to local speakers is often more useful than memorizing slang without its social context.
African Languages
Africa is home to hundreds of languages across several major language families. Everyday greetings may ask about someone’s well-being, recent news, or current activities. The following examples provide practical conversational equivalents, while recognizing that local dialects and customary greetings can vary.
| 🌍 Language | Country/Region | Translation | Pronunciation | Example Sentence |
| Swahili 🇹🇿🇰🇪 | Tanzania, Kenya, and East African communities | Habari gani? | hah-BAH-ree GAH-nee | “Hujambo, habari gani?” Meaning: Hello, what’s the news? |
| Afrikaans 🇿🇦 | South Africa and Namibia | Hoe gaan dit? | hoo khahn dit | “Hallo, hoe gaan dit?” Meaning: Hi, how’s it going? |
| Zulu 🇿🇦 | South Africa | Unjani? | oon-JAH-nee | “Sawubona, unjani?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Xhosa 🇿🇦 | South Africa | Unjani? | oon-JAH-nee | “Molo, unjani?” Meaning: Hi, how are you? |
| Amharic 🇪🇹 | Ethiopia | ምን አዲስ ነው? | min addis new? | “ሰላም፣ ምን አዲስ ነው?” Meaning: Hi, what’s new? |
| Yoruba 🇳🇬 | Southwestern Nigeria and Yoruba-speaking communities | Báwo ni? | BAH-woh nee | “Ẹ káàbọ̀, báwo ni?” Meaning: Welcome, how are you? |
| Igbo 🇳🇬 | Southeastern Nigeria and Igbo-speaking communities | Kedu? | KEH-doo | “Ndewo, kedu?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Hausa 🇳🇬🇳🇪 | Northern Nigeria, Niger, and wider West African communities | Yaya dai? | yah-yah dye | “Sannu, yaya dai?” Meaning: Hello, how are things? |
| Somali 🇸🇴🇩🇯 | Somalia, Djibouti, and Somali-speaking communities | Iska warran? | ISS-kah wah-rran | “Salaan, iska warran?” Meaning: Hello, what’s up? |
| Shona 🇿🇼 | Zimbabwe | Wakadini? | wah-kah-DEE-nee | “Mhoro, wakadini?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Sesotho 🇱🇸🇿🇦 | Lesotho and parts of South Africa | U phela joang? | oo PEH-lah joh-ahng | “Lumela, u phela joang?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Setswana 🇧🇼🇿🇦 | Botswana and parts of South Africa | O tsogile jang? | oh tsoh-HEE-leh jahng | “Dumela, o tsogile jang?” Meaning: Hello, how are you doing? |
| Kinyarwanda 🇷🇼 | Rwanda | Amakuru? | ah-mah-KOO-roo | “Muraho, amakuru?” Meaning: Hello, what’s the news? |
| Malagasy 🇲🇬 | Madagascar | Inona vaovao? | ee-NOO-nah vah-OO-vow | “Salama, inona vaovao?” Meaning: Hi, what’s new? |
Cultural notes for African languages
Habari gani? in Swahili and Amakuru? in Kinyarwanda are associated with asking for news or how things are going. Such greetings may invite a friendly response, rather than a detailed report.
Zulu and Xhosa both use Unjani? in a common way of asking how someone is, but they remain distinct languages with different grammatical patterns and pronunciation. Similarly, greetings in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and other African languages can vary with location, age, and social setting.
When speaking with someone whose language you are learning, use the expression as a starting point and pay attention to how that person responds. A respectful greeting is often more valuable than trying to imitate highly localized slang.
Also Read: How to Say Book in Different Languages
Middle Eastern Languages
The Middle East contains several distinct linguistic traditions, including Arabic, Persian, Kurdish, Turkish, and Armenian. A casual English greeting may be translated differently in standard written language and everyday speech. The examples below distinguish widely understood forms from expressions associated with particular dialects.
| 🌍 Language | Country/Region | Translation | Pronunciation | Example Sentence |
| Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic 🇵🇸 | Palestine and Arabic-speaking regions | ما الأخبار؟ | ma al-akhbar? | “مرحبًا، ما الأخبار؟” Meaning: Hello, what’s the news? |
| Arabic, Levantine dialect 🇵🇸🇯🇴🇱🇧 | Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and nearby communities | شو الأخبار؟ | shu l-akhbar? | “أهلًا، شو الأخبار؟” Meaning: Hey, what’s up? |
| Persian (Farsi) 🇮🇷 | Iran and Persian-speaking communities | چه خبر؟ | che khabar? | “سلام، چه خبر؟” Meaning: Hi, what’s up? |
| Hebrew 🇮🇱 | Hebrew-speaking communities | מה נשמע? | mah nish-MAH | “היי, מה נשמע?” Meaning: Hey, how’s it going? |
| Kurdish, Kurmanji 🟨🟥🟩 | Kurdish-speaking regions of Türkiye, Iraq, Syria, and Iran | Tu çawa yî? | too CHAH-wah yee | “Silav, tu çawa yî?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Armenian 🇦🇲 | Armenia and Armenian-speaking communities | Ի՞նչ կա նորություն։ | inch ka norutyun? | “Բարև, ի՞նչ կա նորություն։” Meaning: Hi, what’s new? |
Cultural notes for Middle Eastern languages
Arabic has many regional dialects. ما الأخبار؟ is a more standard expression asking about the news, while شو الأخبار؟ is a colloquial expression used in several Levantine communities, including Palestine. Other Arabic-speaking regions use different everyday greetings, so no single dialect should be treated as universal.
Persian چه خبر؟ is a familiar way to ask “What’s new?” Hebrew מה נשמע? is a common conversational greeting. Kurdish varies by dialect, and the Kurmanji example above should not be assumed to represent every Kurdish-speaking community.
The flags in this table identify relevant countries or regions, not exclusive ownership of a language. Languages and communities frequently extend beyond national borders.
Other World Languages
Languages outside the main regional groups also offer useful ways to express the same idea. These examples include Indigenous languages, a creole language, and an internationally planned language. As with the other tables, the expressions are conversational equivalents rather than literal translations of every English word.
| 🌍 Language | Country/Region | Translation | Pronunciation | Example Sentence |
| Māori 🇳🇿 | Aotearoa New Zealand | Kei te pēhea koe? | kay teh PAY-heh-ah KOH-eh | “Kia ora, kei te pēhea koe?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Samoan 🇼🇸 | Samoa and Samoan-speaking communities | O ā mai oe? | oh ah my OH-eh | “Talofa, o ā mai oe?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Tongan 🇹🇴 | Tonga and Tongan-speaking communities | Fēfē hake? | FAY-fay HAH-keh | “Mālō e lelei, fēfē hake?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Hawaiian 🇺🇸 | Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian-speaking communities | Pehea ʻoe? | peh-HEH-ah OH-eh | “Aloha, pehea ʻoe?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Quechua 🇵🇪🇧🇴 | Andean regions of Peru, Bolivia, and neighboring countries | Imaynallan? | ee-my-NYAH-yahn | “Rimaykullayki, imaynallan?” Meaning: Hello, how are you? |
| Guarani 🇵🇾 | Paraguay and neighboring regions | Mba’éichapa? | m-bah-ay-EE-cha-pah | “Mba’éichapa, che irũ?” Meaning: How are you, my friend? |
| Haitian Creole 🇭🇹 | Haiti and Haitian-speaking communities | Sa k ap pase? | sah kah pah-SAY | “Bonjou, sa k ap pase?” Meaning: Hello, what’s happening? |
| Esperanto 🌍 | International language-learning communities | Kio novas? | KEE-oh NOH-vahs | “Saluton, kio novas?” Meaning: Hello, what’s new? |
Cultural notes for other world languages
Expressions in Indigenous and Pacific languages may carry meanings that are not fully captured by a short English equivalent. Māori Kei te pēhea koe? and Hawaiian Pehea ʻoe? are questions about how someone is doing, rather than exact word-for-word equivalents of “What’s up?”
Haitian Creole Sa k ap pase? directly asks what is happening and is a useful conversational equivalent. Esperanto Kio novas? asks what is new. For languages with substantial dialect variation, check the local form before using a greeting in a formal or culturally significant setting.
Quick Reference: What’s Up in Different Languages
Use this compact list to review the translations without the example sentences. The English varieties are shown separately for comparison, even though they share the same basic expression.
| Language | Translation |
| English | What’s up? |
| American English | What’s up? / What’s going on? |
| British English | What’s up? / You alright? |
| Australian English | What’s up? / How ya going? |
| Spanish | ¿Qué tal? |
| French | Quoi de neuf ? |
| German | Was geht? |
| Italian | Come va? |
| Portuguese | Tudo bem? |
| Dutch | Hoe gaat het? |
| Swedish | Hur är läget? |
| Norwegian | Hva skjer? |
| Danish | Hvad så? |
| Finnish | Mitä kuuluu? |
| Icelandic | Hvað segirðu? |
| Irish | Cén scéal? |
| Welsh | Sut mae? |
| Polish | Co tam? |
| Czech | Jak se máš? |
| Slovak | Ako sa máš? |
| Ukrainian | Як справи? |
| Russian | Как дела? |
| Romanian | Ce mai faci? |
| Hungarian | Mi újság? |
| Greek | Τι γίνεται; |
| Bulgarian | Какво става? |
| Croatian | Što ima? |
| Serbian | Шта има? |
| Slovenian | Kaj dogaja? |
| Lithuanian | Kaip sekasi? |
| Latvian | Kā iet? |
| Estonian | Kuidas läheb? |
| Albanian | Si po shkon? |
| Catalan | Què tal? |
| Galician | Que tal? |
| Basque | Zer moduz? |
| Mandarin Chinese | 最近怎么样？ |
| Cantonese | 最近點呀？ |
| Japanese | 最近どう？ |
| Korean | 어떻게 지내? |
| Hindi | क्या हाल है? |
| Urdu | کیا حال ہے؟ |
| Bengali | কী খবর? |
| Punjabi | ਕੀ ਹਾਲ ਹੈ? / کیا حال اے؟ |
| Gujarati | શું ચાલે છે? |
| Marathi | काय चाललंय? |
| Tamil | என்ன விசேஷம்? |
| Telugu | ఏంటి సంగతులు? |
| Kannada | ಏನು ಸಮಾಚಾರ? |
| Malayalam | എന്തൊക്കെയുണ്ട് വിശേഷം? |
| Nepali | के छ खबर? |
| Sinhala | මොකද වෙන්නේ? |
| Thai | เป็นไงบ้าง? |
| Vietnamese | Dạo này thế nào? |
| Indonesian | Apa kabar? |
| Malay | Apa khabar? |
| Filipino/Tagalog | Anong balita? |
| Burmese | ဘာသတင်းရှိလဲ။ |
| Khmer | មានអីថ្មី? |
| Lao | ເປັນແນວໃດ? |
| Mongolian | Юу байна? |
| Kazakh | Қалайсың? |
| Uzbek | Nima gap? |
| Turkish | Ne haber? |
| Swahili | Habari gani? |
| Afrikaans | Hoe gaan dit? |
| Zulu | Unjani? |
| Xhosa | Unjani? |
| Amharic | ምን አዲስ ነው? |
| Yoruba | Báwo ni? |
| Igbo | Kedu? |
| Hausa | Yaya dai? |
| Somali | Iska warran? |
| Shona | Wakadini? |
| Sesotho | U phela joang? |
| Setswana | O tsogile jang? |
| Kinyarwanda | Amakuru? |
| Malagasy | Inona vaovao? |
| Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic | ما الأخبار؟ |
| Arabic, Levantine | شو الأخبار؟ |
| Persian (Farsi) | چه خبر؟ |
| Hebrew | מה נשמע? |
| Kurdish, Kurmanji | Tu çawa yî? |
| Armenian | Ի՞նչ կա նորություն։ |
| Māori | Kei te pēhea koe? |
| Samoan | O ā mai oe? |
| Tongan | Fēfē hake? |
| Hawaiian | Pehea ʻoe? |
| Quechua | Imaynallan? |
| Guarani | Mba’éichapa? |
| Haitian Creole | Sa k ap pase? |
| Esperanto | Kio novas? |
Important note: These expressions are not all interchangeable in every situation. Some mean “How are you?”, others mean “What’s new?”, and others ask “What is happening?” The best choice depends on the meaning you intend to communicate.
How to Choose the Right Translation
The best translation of “What’s up?” depends on whom you are speaking to and what you want to ask. Supposing you are greeting a friend, choose an informal expression such as Spanish ¿Qué tal?, Polish Co tam?, or Japanese 最近どう？. If you want to ask about someone’s well-being, a phrase equivalent to “How are you?” may be more suitable. If something seems wrong, choose a question that clearly communicates concern.
Keep these practical tips in mind:
- Consider your relationship: Informal slang is generally better suited to friends than to strangers or professional contacts.
- Check the region: Spanish ¿Qué onda? is particularly associated with Mexico, while other Spanish-speaking regions may prefer different greetings.
SpanishDictionary.com
+1 - Match the level of politeness: Languages such as Japanese and Korean have forms that reflect the relationship between speakers.
- Think about the situation: A text message, a conversation at school, and a workplace introduction may call for different expressions.
- Learn a natural reply: For example, if someone asks how you are, knowing how to say “I’m fine” or “Pretty good” helps you continue the conversation.
- Listen before using slang: A phrase may be widely understood but still sound unusual in a particular location.
When you are uncertain, begin with a neutral greeting and follow the other person’s conversational style. This is a practical way to make communication feel more natural.
Common Mistakes When Translating What’s Up
Translating an informal greeting can be surprisingly difficult because meaning and social context matter more than literal wording. Avoid these common mistakes when learning a new language.
1. Translating each word separately. The English words “what” and “up” do not automatically form a natural greeting when translated individually. Use an established conversational equivalent instead.
2. Confusing a greeting with a question about a problem. In Spanish, ¿Qué pasa? can mean “What’s happening?” but it can also ask what is wrong. The speaker’s tone and the surrounding conversation help clarify the meaning.
Cambridge Dictionary
+1
3. Using slang with everyone. Informal phrases may work well with friends but sound too familiar in a formal situation.
4. Ignoring regional differences. Expressions used in one country may be less familiar in another, even when both countries share the same language.
5. Overlooking grammar and politeness. Pronouns, verb endings, honorifics, and other grammatical features can change the appropriate expression.
6. Relying on misleading pronunciation guides. English-style spellings can help beginners, but they cannot always represent unfamiliar sounds, tones, or stress patterns accurately.
7. Assuming every translation means exactly the same thing. “How are you?”, “What’s new?”, and “What’s happening?” overlap in conversation but do not always communicate identical meanings.
The most reliable approach is to learn the expression, its context, and at least one natural example together.
Why Learn What’s Up in Different Languages?
Learning how to say “What’s up?” in different languages gives you a practical way to begin everyday conversations. Short greetings are useful when meeting classmates, talking to friends abroad, messaging international contacts, or practicing a new language during travel. They also introduce common vocabulary and familiar sentence patterns that you can use when learning other expressions.
Studying several translations helps you notice how languages organize conversation differently. One expression may ask about recent news, another about personal well-being, and another about current activities. Recognizing these differences builds awareness of meaning, pronunciation, formality, and regional variation.
These expressions can also make personal messages more thoughtful. Greeting someone in their preferred language may help open a conversation, although the response will naturally depend on the individual and situation. You do not need to memorize every language in this guide at once. Start with a few expressions relevant to people you know, practice saying them aloud, and learn how to respond naturally.
Most importantly, approach unfamiliar languages with curiosity and respect. A small greeting can be a useful first step toward a more meaningful conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say “What’s up?” in different languages?
You can use Spanish ¿Qué tal?, French Quoi de neuf ?, German Was geht?, or Japanese 最近どう？. These natural translations express a friendly greeting, though their exact meanings can vary.
What does “What’s up?” mean in different languages?
The phrase can mean “How are you?”, “What’s new?”, or “What’s happening?”. The best translation depends on the intended meaning and context of the conversation.
Can “What’s up?” translations change by country or region?
Yes, regional variations and local slang can affect everyday greetings. For example, Spanish ¿Qué onda? is common in casual conversation in Mexico, while other regions may prefer different expressions.
Is “What’s up?” formal or informal?
“What’s up?” is generally an informal greeting used with friends, classmates, and familiar people. In formal situations, choose more polite conversational phrases that suit the relationship and social setting.
How can I pronounce “What’s up?” correctly in other languages?
Use the pronunciation guide provided with each translation, then practice listening and speaking aloud. Also, learn example sentences and native language expressions to understand natural speech and improve multilingual communication.
Conclusion
Learning how to say what’s up in different languages helps you start friendly conversations and connect with people worldwide. With natural translations, pronunciation guides, and example sentences, you can choose greetings that fit each situation. Remember, cultural context, regional variations, and local expressions shape how people communicate. So, practice a few casual greetings around the world and enjoy more natural, respectful multilingual communication.
