<p>Here's my explanation:
“你在做什么？” = “你正在做什么？”</p>

<p>在 can be normally used as abbreviation for 正在, which latter only means "right now". Therefore, 在 can be constitutive for the present continuous tense.</p>

<p>你做什么？could have different meanings or tense in different contexts, for example:
1. 你做什么（工作）？
2. 你（刚刚）做什么？
3. 你（这些天）做什么？
4. 你（打算）做什么？
5. 你（在）做什么？</p>

<p>When you add 在/正在, then You give a semantic restriction; the sentence can only mean: What are you doing? -- In this sense, it is necessary to add 在.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-30T15:50:59.973Z
2017-03-30T17:28:58.663Z
2017-03-30T17:28:58.663Z
hsulin
<p>你做什么？ and 你在做什么？have the same meaning.</p>

<p>在 is not compulsory to use although we use often.</p>

<p>For me I can understand and I think general people also can understand.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-30T13:31:40.483Z
2017-03-30T13:31:40.483Z
Chek Wei Tan
<p>It is not necessary to use 在。 </p>

<p>If you give more context, it would be easier to see what is meant. When you just offer 2 separate sentences it is hard to know. Both could mean 'What do you do?'</p>

<p>Very often, you will just hear: '干吗？‘ What are you doing?</p>

<p>该干吗干吗。 Do what you should do.</p>

<p>If you mean: 'What is your job?' you can say: 你做什么的？ or 你是做什么的？</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-30T13:42:32.570Z
2017-03-30T13:42:32.570Z
Pedroski
<p>When you use 在 or 正在 in a sentence in Chinese, you're basically making a present continuous sentence .</p>

<p>Although this is grammatically necessary but in daily life we rarely see people pay much attention to it . Like the use of the word 的 in 我的学校 and 我学校. both mean the same.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-31T10:22:42.550Z
2017-03-31T10:22:42.550Z
M.C
<p>Only the tone of the difference. 在 Have the feeling of questioning.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-30T13:41:53.650Z
2017-03-30T13:41:53.650Z
jinguangyue
<p>Could you please explain me, is it necessary to use 在?</p>

<p>As I understand the meaning of these questions are:
你做什么？what do you do?
你在做什么？what are you doing?</p>

<p>But is it possible to ask about what another person is doing without 在 or is it obligatory? Is the meaning of 你做什么？ of doing in general or could be understood as doing right now?</p>

<p>Thank you very much for helping! :)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-30T14:34:08.533Z
study the 100 example sentences for 你做什么 and the 100 example sentences for  你在做什么 at jukuu
user6065
<grammar><meaning><usage>
Is it necessary to use 在？
# Is it necessary to use 在？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-30)

Could you please explain me, is it necessary to use 在?

As I understand the meaning of these questions are:
你做什么？what do you do?
你在做什么？what are you doing?

But is it possible to ask about what another person is doing without 在 or is it obligatory? Is the meaning of 你做什么？ of doing in general or could be understood as doing right now?

Thank you very much for helping! :)

**Tags:** grammar, meaning, usage

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: study the 100 example sentences for 你做什么 and the 100 example sentences for  你在做什么 at jukuu  

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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-03-30. Score: 4

Here's my explanation:
“你在做什么？” = “你正在做什么？”

在 can be normally used as abbreviation for 正在, which latter only means "right now". Therefore, 在 can be constitutive for the present continuous tense.

你做什么？could have different meanings or tense in different contexts, for example:
1. 你做什么（工作）？
2. 你（刚刚）做什么？
3. 你（这些天）做什么？
4. 你（打算）做什么？
5. 你（在）做什么？

When you add 在/正在, then You give a semantic restriction; the sentence can only mean: What are you doing? -- In this sense, it is necessary to add 在.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-03-30. Score: 1

你做什么？ and 你在做什么？have the same meaning.

在 is not compulsory to use although we use often.

For me I can understand and I think general people also can understand.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-03-30. Score: 1

It is not necessary to use 在。

If you give more context, it would be easier to see what is meant. When you just offer 2 separate sentences it is hard to know. Both could mean 'What do you do?'

Very often, you will just hear: '干吗？‘ What are you doing?

该干吗干吗。 Do what you should do.

If you mean: 'What is your job?' you can say: 你做什么的？ or 你是做什么的？


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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-03-31. Score: 0

When you use 在 or 正在 in a sentence in Chinese, you're basically making a present continuous sentence .

Although this is grammatically necessary but in daily life we rarely see people pay much attention to it . Like the use of the word 的 in 我的学校 and 我学校. both mean the same.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2017-03-30. Score: 0

Only the tone of the difference. 在 Have the feeling of questioning.


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