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    どうしました？ (dō shimashita?) - Slightly more polite, abbreviated

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    neutral to slightly polite

    How it works

    This phrase is a combination of the interrogative adverb 'どう' (dō - how/what) and the past tense of the verb 'する' (suru - to do), 'しました' (shimashita), followed by a question particle implicitly. It directly translates to 'What did you do?' or 'How did you do (it)?', but it's idiomatically used to ask 'What happened?' or 'What's wrong?' to someone, showing concern for their state or a situation.

    Sample sentences

    顔色が悪いですが、どうしました？

    You look pale, what happened?

    急に立ち止まって、どうしました？

    You suddenly stopped, what's wrong?

    何か問題があったのですか？ どうしました？

    Was there some kind of problem? What happened?

    Quick facts

    nuance:Implies concern for the other person's state or a recent event. It's often used when someone looks troubled, injured, or when a situation seems out of the ordinary.
    politeness:This phrase is polite enough for most general interactions, including with strangers or superiors, though adding 'か' (ka) at the end makes it slightly more formal. Without 'か', it's common in conversation where politeness is maintained but not overly formal.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    顔色が悪いですが、どうしました？

    You look pale, what happened?

    急に立ち止まって、どうしました？

    You suddenly stopped, what's wrong?

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