What does 뭐 해 (mwohae) mean?
- 뭐 해mwohae
What are you doing?
Casual: friends and people younger than you
뭐 해 (mwohae) means "What are you doing?" in Korean. It is casual and very common in texts between friends and couples, much like "wyd?" or "what are you up to?"
Where it comes from
뭐 is the short, spoken form of 무엇, "what," and 해 is the casual form of 하다, "to do." So it says "what (are you) doing?" The dictionary spelling has a space, but people often type 뭐해.
How to use 뭐 해
As a text, 뭐 해? is a friendly check-in that often means "I want to talk" or "are you free?"
Said sharply, it can mean "What are you doing?!" when someone is doing something odd. 뭐 하는 거야? is the stronger, more annoyed version.
With someone older, use 뭐 해요? or the respectful 뭐 하세요?
Examples
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Texting a crush at night
Making weekend plans
Catching a sibling eating your snacks
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 뭐 해요? | What are you doing? | Polite. |
| 뭐 하세요? | What are you doing? | Respectful, for elders. |
| 뭐 하고 있어? | What are you up to right now? | Casual, a bit longer. |
| 뭐 하는 거야? | What do you think you're doing? | Annoyed or surprised. |
| 뭐 하니? | What are you doing? | Often heard from parents or teachers. |
Questions learners ask
Is it mwohae or mwo hae?
Both are seen. The standard spelling is 뭐 해 with a space, but 뭐해 is very common in texts.
How do you answer mwohae?
Say what you are doing, or just 그냥 있어 (just hanging out) or 아무것도 안 해 (nothing).