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    どうしたの？ (dō shita no?) - What's wrong?

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression / interrogative phrase
    casual / neutral

    How it works

    This phrase is formed from the past tense of the verb する (suru - to do), which becomes した (shita), preceded by the interrogative どう (dō - how/what way). The particle の (no) functions as an informal interrogative particle, similar to か (ka) but softer and more suitable for casual speech. It's used to ask for an explanation or the reason for a state or situation.

    Sample sentences

    顔色が悪いけど、どうしたの？

    Your complexion looks bad, what's wrong?

    急に黙り込んで、どうしたの？

    You suddenly went quiet, what happened?

    今日は遅かったね、どうしたの？

    You were late today, what happened?

    Quick facts

    gender:Universally used, though the final intonation or alternative endings like 'んだ' (n da) can imply masculine speech.
    nuance:Implies concern and asks for an explanation of a noticeable change or problem.
    politeness:Casual. For a more formal or polite version, one would use どうしましたか？ (dō shimashita ka?) or どうしたんですか？ (dō shita n desu ka?).

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    顔色が悪いけど、どうしたの？

    Your complexion looks bad, what's wrong?

    急に黙り込んで、どうしたの？

    You suddenly went quiet, what happened?

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