Italian Phrase
Cosa fai nel weekend?
Meaning
Literally ‘What do you do in the weekend?’, it is the everyday way to ask someone about their plans for Saturday and Sunday. The tone is informal and friendly, suitable for peers, classmates, or coworkers you know well.
When to use
Use this question when you want to start a casual conversation about leisure activities, make plans together, or simply show interest in a friend’s free‑time schedule. It is not appropriate in very formal settings where you would use the *Lei* form.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cosafainelweekend?
Cosa
Interrogative pronoun meaning ‘what’; placed at the beginning of a question.
fai
Second‑person singular present of the verb *fare* (to do/make). Used with the informal ‘tu’.
nel
Contraction of *in* + *il*; means ‘in the’. It introduces a time period.
weekend
A borrowed English noun, pronounced with an Italian phonetic pattern.
Question mark
In spoken Italian the intonation rises at the end; the written ‘?’ signals a question.
🗨In Conversation
Cosa fai nel weekend?
What are you doing this weekend?
Pensavo di andare al cinema con Marco e poi fare una passeggiata al parco.
I was thinking of going to the movies with Marco and then taking a walk in the park.
✕Common Mistakes
Che fai nel weekend?
‘Che’ is an adjective meaning ‘which’, not the interrogative pronoun for ‘what’. Use ‘Cosa’ instead.
Cosa fai nel weekendi?
The preposition ‘in’ contracts only with *il* (nel). Adding an extra *i* is a spelling error.
Cosa fa nel weekend?
When speaking informally you need the *tu* form *fai*. *Fa* is the third‑person singular (or formal *Lei*) form.
↔Alternatives
Che programmi hai per il weekend?
What plans do you have for the weekend?
Hai qualcosa in programma per il fine settimana?
Do you have anything planned for the weekend?
Cosa farai nel weekend?
What will you do over the weekend?
Cultural Tip
In Italy the weekend (fine settimana) is traditionally a time for family meals, outings, and socialising. Asking “Cosa fai nel weekend?” is a common ice‑breaker, but remember to keep the tone informal – use *tu* and *fai* only with people you know well. If you need to be polite or are speaking to an older person, switch to the *Lei* form: “Cosa fa nel weekend?”.