Spanish Phrase
¿Qué hiciste?
Meaning
Literally “What did you do?” It asks the listener to describe a specific action or activity that happened in the past, often referring to a recent event.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know about a completed action, such as after a party, a trip, or when catching up with a friend about their day. It’s informal and best suited for familiar or peer‑level conversations.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Quéhiciste?
Qué (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask about something unknown; always carries an accent in questions.
hiciste (preterite of hacer)
Second‑person singular form of the verb ‘hacer’ in the simple past, indicating a completed action.
Preterite vs. Present Perfect
In most Spanish‑speaking regions the preterite (hiciste) refers to a specific past event, while the present perfect (has hecho) stresses relevance to the present.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué hiciste ayer en la fiesta?
What did you do yesterday at the party?
Bailé, hablé con Ana y probé el pastel de chocolate.
I danced, talked with Ana, and tried the chocolate cake.
✕Common Mistakes
Que hiciste?
Missing the accent changes the meaning; ‘que’ without accent is a conjunction, not a question word.
¿Qué hizo?
‘Hizo’ is third‑person singular; the question is directed at ‘you’ (tú), so use ‘hiciste’.
¿Qué hiciste tú?
Adding ‘tú’ is grammatically correct but can sound overly emphatic in casual speech; usually the pronoun is omitted.
↔Alternatives
¿Qué has hecho?
What have you done?
¿Qué hiciste ayer?
What did you do yesterday?
¿Qué fue lo que hiciste?
What exactly did you do?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, asking about someone's recent activities is a friendly way to start a conversation, but be mindful of the setting: in formal contexts you might prefer a more polite form like “¿Qué hizo usted?” or avoid the question if the topic could be sensitive (e.g., after a loss or a stressful event).