<ul>
<li><p>你<strong>在做</strong>什么? = What are you <strong>doing</strong>? --&gt; <em>在 indicates it is in the progressive tense, you can add an indicator to make it a past progressive, for example, 你昨天在做什么? but it doesn't work with the future tense</em></p>
</li>
<li><p>你明天在做什么？ (ungrammatical) 在 is used to indicate a progressive tense, you can't use it with the future tense</p>
</li>
<li><p>你明天<strong>要</strong>做什么？ = What do you <strong>need</strong>/ <strong>want</strong> to do tomorrow</p>
</li>
<li><p>你明天做什么？ = What (will) you do tomorrow --&gt; <em>will is implied by the word 'tomorrow'</em></p>
</li>
<li><p>你做什么? = what are you doing? --&gt; <em>在 (present progressive tense) is implied in the context when there's no indication of past or future tense, we presume it is in the present and is ongoing</em></p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-05T01:31:47.797Z
2023-01-05T01:31:47.797Z
Tang Ho
<ol>
<li>pronun + 在做什么?</li>
<li>pronun +明天在做什么？</li>
<li>pronun +明天要做什么</li>
<li>pronun +明天做什么？</li>
<li>pronun + 做什么?</li>
</ol>
<p>Please, help me to understand the subtle differences between these sentences.
As in cases 4) and 5)</p>
<p>Can I use the 做 straight without other words before it?
Thank you very much!</p>

<grammar><difference><sentence>
What is the difference between using 在做，要做 or just only 做 in this sentences
# What is the difference between using 在做，要做 or just only 做 in this sentences

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-01-05)

1. pronun + 在做什么?
2. pronun +明天在做什么？
3. pronun +明天要做什么
4. pronun +明天做什么？
5. pronun + 做什么?

Please, help me to understand the subtle differences between these sentences.
As in cases 4) and 5)

Can I use the 做 straight without other words before it?
Thank you very much!

**Tags:** grammar, difference, sentence


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-01-05. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

* 你**在做**什么? = What are you **doing**? --> *在 indicates it is in the progressive tense, you can add an indicator to make it a past progressive, for example, 你昨天在做什么? but it doesn't work with the future tense*
* 你明天在做什么？ (ungrammatical) 在 is used to indicate a progressive tense, you can't use it with the future tense
* 你明天**要**做什么？ = What do you **need**/ **want** to do tomorrow
* 你明天做什么？ = What (will) you do tomorrow --> *will is implied by the word 'tomorrow'*
* 你做什么? = what are you doing? --> *在 (present progressive tense) is implied in the context when there's no indication of past or future tense, we presume it is in the present and is ongoing*


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