- An informal question similar to What's happening? or What's new?.
- Can ask about someone's current activities, general life updates, or a specific situation unfolding.
Explanation
Origin
- A common idiomatic phrase that likely emerged from literally asking about events or activities in progress.
- Became a standard casual greeting and inquiry in American English during the 20th century.
- Can be slightly more probing than What's up?, sometimes implying genuine curiosity about activities or situations.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- What it is? (Slang, dated)
- What's poppin'? (Slang, energetic)
- What's the deal? (Informal, often implies curiosity about a problem or situation)
- What gives? (Informal, expresses confusion or demands an explanation for something unexpected)
Milder/Standard:
- What's happening?
- Is everything alright? (If concerned)
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal.
- Widely used among peers, friends, colleagues.
- Its meaning depends heavily on context (casual greeting vs. specific inquiry).
- Avoid the greeting form in highly formal settings.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Learners need to understand the dual use: a casual greeting (What's up?) vs. a genuine inquiry about a specific situation. Tone and context are key differentiators.
Examples
- Hey team, what's going on this morning? (Asking about activities)
- You seem distracted. What's going on? (Asking about a specific mood/situation)
- What's going on? I heard sirens. (Asking about an event)
Dialogue
(Scenario 1: Greeting)
Chen: Hey Maya, what's going on?
Maya: Not much, Chen. Just grabbing some files. You?
Chen: Heading to that marketing meeting. See ya later!
(Scenario 2: Specific situation)
Sam: You look stressed, Eva. What's going on?
Eva: Oh, hey Sam. It's just this project report – the deadline got moved up.
Sam: Oh man, that's rough. Need any help?
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Big police presence downtown. Anyone know what's going on? #CityLife
- Group Chat: Hey everyone, what's going on this weekend? Any plans?
- Checking in on someone: Saw your vague post earlier. Hope you're okay! What's going on?
Response Patterns
As a greeting:
- Not much, you?
- Just working/studying/etc.
- Hey! Same old.
- What's going on with you?
About a specific situation:
- An explanation of the situation (There was a small fire down the street, I'm just worried about the deadline).
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After asking (as a greeting):
- Similar to What's up?, expect brief replies, answer reciprocation.
After asking (about a situation):
- Listen attentively to the explanation.
- Offer help or express empathy if appropriate.
After responding:
- If a greeting, listen to their reply, continue conversation.
- If explaining a situation, gauge their reaction.
Conversation Starter
- Yes.
- Common casual opener, but also useful for inquiring about specific observable situations.
Intonation
- Casual and friendly when used as a greeting. What's go-ing ON? Rising intonation.
- Can be more serious or concerned if inquiring about a specific problem (What's GO-ing on?).
- Stress often on ON, sometimes on GO-ing.
Generation Differences
- Very common across most age groups, especially in informal American English.
Regional Variations
- Very common in North America. Used elsewhere but perhaps less frequently than local alternatives like Alright? (UK).