French Phrase
Tu fais quoi ces temps‑ci ?
Meaning
A casual way to ask someone what they have been up to lately. It conveys genuine curiosity about the person’s recent activities, projects, or general life rhythm.
When to use
Use it with friends, classmates, coworkers you know well, or anyone you have an informal relationship with. It’s too familiar for formal settings or with elders you don’t know well.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tufaisquoicestemps-ci?
Tu (subject pronoun)
Second‑person singular informal pronoun used before a verb.
fais (present of faire)
The verb ‘faire’ conjugated in the present tense for ‘tu’; means ‘to do / to make’.
quoi (interrogative pronoun)
Used after the verb in informal spoken French to ask ‘what?’. It replaces the more formal ‘que’ or ‘qu’est‑ce que’.
ces temps‑ci (time expression)
Literally ‘these times‑here’; a colloquial way to say ‘these days / lately’.
Question intonation
In spoken French the sentence ends with a rising intonation; no inversion is needed.
🗨In Conversation
Tu fais quoi ces temps‑ci ?
What are you up to these days?
Je travaille sur un nouveau projet de design et je cours le matin.
I’m working on a new design project and I run in the mornings.
✕Common Mistakes
Tu fais quel ces temps-ci ?
‘Quel’ is an adjective and cannot replace ‘quoi’ after the verb in this informal structure.
Tu fais quoi ces temps?
Learners often forget the hyphen and the final ‘‑ci’, which changes the idiomatic feel.
Fais‑tu quoi ces temps‑ci ?
In spoken informal French you do not invert the subject and verb; ‘fais‑tu’ sounds overly formal.
↔Alternatives
Qu’est‑ce que tu fais en ce moment ?
What are you doing right now?
Tu fais quoi en ce moment ?
What are you doing at the moment?
Quoi de neuf ces derniers temps ?
What’s new lately?
Cultural Tip
The phrase is very informal; French speakers often drop the ‘qu’est‑ce que’ in spoken language and replace it with ‘quoi’ after the verb. Avoid using it with strangers, teachers, or older relatives unless you already have a relaxed rapport. In some regions (e.g., Québec) you might hear ‘c’est quoi tes nouvelles ?’ which carries a similar vibe.