Phrase guide

what about

adv · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Mid-Atlantic, US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Used to make a suggestion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • What about going to a restaurant tonight?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • You're obviously having a good time, but what about me?
  • Move to another country? What about where we’re going to live?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Used to repeat a question but referring to a different subject or object.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • “Is John coming tomorrow?” “Yes.” “What about David?”
  • “Do you like football?” “No.” “What about basketball?”

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

Used to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • “Do you remember John Smith from work?” “Yeah, what about him?” “Oh, nothing. I just ran into him today.”

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adv

Meaning 5

Used to express approval of an occurrence or a result.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • What about the second goal!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

89 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: què tal — used to make a suggestion
  • Chinese Mandarin: ...怎麼樣 /...怎么样 (...zěnmeyàng) — used to make a suggestion
  • Danish: hvad med — used to make a suggestion
  • Dutch: wat zeg je van — used to make a suggestion
  • Georgian: იქნებ (ikneb) — used to make a suggestion
  • German: wie wär's mit — used to make a suggestion
  • Hebrew: מָה לְגַבֵּי (má legabé) — used to make a suggestion
  • Hebrew: מָה עִם (má im) — used to make a suggestion
  • Italian: se — used to make a suggestion
  • Japanese: ...いかがですか (...ikaga desu ka) — used to make a suggestion
  • Japanese: ...どうですか (...dō desu ka) — used to make a suggestion
  • Kapampangan: pakananu — used to make a suggestion
  • Kapampangan: makananu — used to make a suggestion
  • Kapampangan: kaya — used to make a suggestion
  • Kapampangan: kana — used to make a suggestion
  • Korean: 어때요 (eottaeyo) — used to make a suggestion
  • Polish: co powiesz na — used to make a suggestion
  • Portuguese: que tal...? — used to make a suggestion
  • Portuguese: quem sabe...? — used to make a suggestion
  • Romanian: ce-ar fi dacă — used to make a suggestion
  • Romanian: dacă — used to make a suggestion
  • Russian: что́ е́сли (štó jésli) — used to make a suggestion
  • Russian: как насчёт (kak nasčót) — used to make a suggestion
  • Spanish: qué tal — used to make a suggestion
  • Swedish: vad sägs om ... — used to make a suggestion
  • Chinese Mandarin: ...怎麼樣 /...怎么样 (...zěnmeyàng) — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Chinese Mandarin: ...呢 — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Ngazidja Comorian: e — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Danish: hvad med — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Dutch: en — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Dutch: hoe zit het met — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Finnish: entä — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • French: et — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • French: quid — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • French: qu'en est-il de — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • German: und — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • German: was ist mit — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Italian: e — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Japanese: は (wa) — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Kapampangan: ing — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Kapampangan: o — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Kapampangan: kaya — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Korean: 는 (neun) — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Navajo: shąʼ — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Old English: hū be — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Polish: a — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Portuguese: e...? — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Portuguese: e sobre...? — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Portuguese: e quanto a...? — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Romanian: cum rămâne cu — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Russian: а (a) — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Russian: а ка́к же (a kák že) — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Russian: как насчёт — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Spanish: y — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Spanish: qué hay de — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Spanish: y sobre — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Spanish: y en cuanto a — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Spanish: y qué hay de — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Spanish: y qué hay con — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Spanish: y qué con — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Swedish: ... då? — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Vietnamese: còn — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Vietnamese: còn ... thì sao — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Yiddish: וואָס איז מיט (vos iz mit) — used to ask someone to consider something or someone that they have apparently not considered
  • Burmese: ကော (kau:) — used to repeat a question
  • Chinese Mandarin: 呢 — used to repeat a question
  • Danish: hvad med — used to repeat a question
  • Finnish: entä — used to repeat a question
  • French: et — used to repeat a question
  • French: quid — used to repeat a question
  • Japanese: は (wa) — used to repeat a question
  • Kapampangan: ing — used to repeat a question
  • Kapampangan: o — used to repeat a question
  • Kapampangan: kaya — used to repeat a question
  • Korean: 는 (neun) — used to repeat a question
  • Kyrgyz: -чи (-ci) — used to repeat a question
  • Polish: a — used to repeat a question
  • Portuguese: e...? — used to repeat a question
  • Romanian: dar — used to repeat a question
  • Russian: а (a) — used to repeat a question
  • Swedish: ... då? — used to repeat a question
  • Vietnamese: còn — used to repeat a question
  • Spanish: qué tener — used to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker
  • Spanish: qué sucede con — used to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker
  • Spanish: qué ocurre con — used to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker
  • Swedish: vad är det med ... — used to inquire about the purpose of someone introducing a subject to the speaker
  • Finnish: entäpä — used to express approval
  • Finnish: entä — used to express approval
  • Swedish: vad sägs om ... ! — used to express approval