Italian Phrase
Che fai questo weekend?
Meaning
Literally, “What are you doing this weekend?” It’s an informal way to ask a friend or peer about their plans for Saturday‑Sunday (or the whole weekend).
When to use
Use it in casual conversation with people you know well – friends, classmates, coworkers you’re on a first‑name basis with. It’s perfect for starting a chat about leisure activities, making plans, or simply showing interest.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Chefaiquestoweekend?
Che (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask 'what' in informal spoken Italian; can be replaced by 'cosa' in more neutral contexts.
fai (present of fare)
Second‑person singular present tense of the verb *fare* (to do/make).
questo (demonstrative adjective)
Matches the noun that follows in gender and number; here it modifies the borrowed noun *weekend*.
weekend (borrowed noun)
A loanword from English, masculine singular; the article is omitted because it follows a demonstrative.
Question mark & intonation
In spoken Italian the pitch rises at the end; the written question mark signals the interrogative mood.
🗨In Conversation
Che fai questo weekend?
What are you doing this weekend?
Penso di andare al cinema con Luca. E tu?
I’m thinking of going to the movies with Luca. And you?
✕Common Mistakes
Che fai weekend?
Learners sometimes forget the demonstrative *questo* and say *Che fai weekend?* which sounds unnatural.
Che fa questo weekend?
Using *fa* (third person) instead of *fai* (second person) changes the subject and makes the sentence grammatically wrong.
Che fai questo weekend fine settimana?
Mixing *weekend* with *fine settimana* is redundant; choose one or the other.
Che fa questo weekend?
The verb *fare* must agree with *tu* (you); *fa* is the third‑person form used for *lui/lei*.
↔Alternatives
Cosa fai questo fine settimana?
What are you doing this weekend?
Hai programmi per il weekend?
Do you have any plans for the weekend?
Che programmi hai per il weekend?
What plans do you have for the weekend?
Cultural Tip
In Italy the weekend traditionally means Saturday and Sunday, but many people also include Friday evening, especially for social outings. While *weekend* is widely used in everyday speech, *fine settimana* sounds a bit more formal and is common in written or polite contexts. Remember to keep the tone informal (using *tu*) unless you’re speaking to someone you’d address with *Lei*.