Italian Phrase
E tu, cosa farai dopo?
Meaning
This phrase is a direct and friendly way to ask someone about their upcoming plans. It uses the future tense of the verb 'fare' (to do/make) to inquire about activities that will happen after the current moment. The opening 'E tu' serves to pivot the conversation back to the listener, making it an excellent tool for social reciprocity.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual or semi-formal conversations after you have finished describing your own plans. It is a polite way to show interest in the other person's schedule during social gatherings, coffee breaks, or while hanging out with friends.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Etu,cosafaraidopo?
Farai (Future Tense)
This is the second-person singular (tu) form of the verb 'fare' in the future simple tense.
Cosa
A common interrogative pronoun meaning 'what', often used as a shorthand for 'che cosa'.
🗨In Conversation
Io vado a fare la spesa adesso.
I'm going grocery shopping now.
E tu, cosa farai dopo?
And you, what will you do later?
✕Common Mistakes
E tu, cosa farai a dopo?
Avoid adding the preposition 'a' before 'dopo'; the adverb 'dopo' stands alone to mean 'later' in this context.
E tu, cosa farei dopo?
Do not confuse the future tense 'farai' (you will do) with the conditional 'farei' (I would do).
↔Alternatives
Che programmi hai per dopo?
What plans do you have for later?
Cosa fai più tardi?
What are you doing later? (using the present tense for the near future)
Cultural Tip
While 'farai' is grammatically correct for the future, Italians frequently use the present tense 'fai' for events happening later the same day. Using the future tense as in this phrase sounds slightly more intentional and is perfectly natural in both Northern and Southern Italy.