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What Are You Doing in Spanish | Rosetta Stone®

Learn how to say “what are you doing” and other Spanish phrases using the award-winning Rosetta Stone app.

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How to Say What Are You Doing in Spanish

If you’d like to ask “What are you doing?” in Spanish, you can use use “¿Qué haces?” It’s a conjugation of the verb “hacer” which literally means “to do” or “to make.” Want to be more specific? This list will help you get started:

¿Qué haces ahora? / What are you doing now?

¿Qué haces esta noche? / What are you doing tonight?

¿Qué vas a hacer mañana? / What are you doing tomorrow?

As complicated as Spanish verbs and tenses might seem to some new learners, just remember that you don’t have to tackle everything at once. Even with something like “what are you doing,” getting comfortable with the basic “¿Qué haces?” will likely work in most circumstances. Once you feel acclimated to that phrase, you can slowly incorporate others with more nuanced meanings.

Many who already speak another major European language, or those who have had casual exposure to Spanish, generally find learning the language doable. Because English, just as Italian and French, has deep roots in Latin, these languages all share thousands of words with contemporary Spanish. These shared words, known as cognates, have significant similarities in spelling and/or pronunciation. That’s why you’ll find English words like “attention” that sound remarkably similar in French (attention), Italian (attenzione), and Spanish (atención).

Aside from spelling similarities, you’ll find that Spanish also has a rather simple system of pronunciation. Unlike English, with all of its special rules and silent letters, there are only a few irregularities. The standard Spanish alphabet is also a near-exact match to English. It just has 29 letters instead of the 26 you’re used to. The extra three are: ch (chay), ll (elle), and ñ (eñe).

Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion® methodology teaches you the language, not just the words. What makes this approach so effective is that we prepare you to use your new language in your everyday life. So, it’s not just about the features, but what you’re able to do because of them. It helps you get ready to handle any situation with confidence.

Learn Spanish Words and Phrases

People often embark on learning Spanish for a myriad of reasons. After all, Spanish is spoken throughout the U.S. It is featured prominently on TV, in movies, and in music. Many people make the decision to learn Spanish because they have plans to vacation, volunteer, or work in one of the 20 countries around the world where Spanish is the official language. Whatever your reason, you can get off to a fantastic start by first familiarizing yourself with the pronunciation of some basic Spanish words and phrases. This will help you understand how the language is actually used in everyday situations by the estimated 437 million Spanish speakers around the world.

Ofter, new language learners get caught up in efforts to memorise long lists of Spanish vocabulary words. And after this exercise, they find themselves frustrated and unable to participate in real-world Spanish conversations. That’s why it’s important to learn to pronounce and understand commonly used Spanish words and phrases—so you can feel comfortable and confident engaging in conversation with locals.

Of note, Spanish does have some pronunciation distinctions that can make it a bit of a challenge for new learners. As one example, the letter r is pronounced differently and takes some practise for most new learners. This distinct sound is formed by tapping the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth, about a third of the way back in the mouth. Some Spanish-language experts counsel new learners to practise making the “tt” sound, as it sounds in the English word butter.

To develop correct pronunciation, you’ll need immediate feedback on your efforts. Rosetta Stone’s patented TruAccent™ speech-recognition engine helps you get the pronunciation right in a snap. This proprietary technology instantly compares your voice to native and non-native speakers, so you get real-time feedback for the most accurate pronunciation. It’s also adjustable, which allows you to fine-tune your accent. TruAccent is a powerful tool for helping you learn and speak the Spanish language.

Right after you have acquired basic words, short phrases, and their proper pronunciation, it’s a natural transition to learn the longer phrases that make up so much of everyday conversation. Rosetta Stone’s brief, 10-minute lessons are built in exactly this way—teaching the basics first, then moving onto longer phrases. You’ll be on your way building the skills to speak Spanish with confidence.

Try Our Award-Winning App

Surround yourself with Spanish (Latin America) whenever, wherever with the Rosetta Stone app.

Download a unit and knock it out on the train or a flight. Select a 5-10 minute lesson and sneak it in while you wait in line or for your ride to show up. And explore dynamic features, like Seek and Speak, where you can point at an object in the real world and get a translation.

The best part? You don’t have to choose between app or desktop. Both come with your subscription and sync, so you can switch between devices seamlessly.

Spanish (Latin America)