Hi,
“What are you doing up there?” What does it mean?
Many thanks
You are up somewhere (above someone’s head, maybe upstairs or in a tree), and the person is asking what you are doing in that place.
To me, it basically means, a person is asking the other person what he/she is doing above. The word above could mean a room located upstairs, an attic, or heaven perhaps?
Just my 2 cents.
Victer.
Interesting question!
I don’t know the answer but “doing up” means “Repairing, Renovating, Making beautiful”.
Hi Natanail,
Jamie has provided the answer. The phrase ‘doing+up’ is not used in this question. ‘Doing’ and ‘up’ are not related. ‘up’ and ‘there’ are related.
What+are+you+doing / up+there
Thank you.
Maybe it would be helpful to separate well known English native speakers from other users. So we will recognize that whose opinion is not just an opinion but a fact/pattern.
How do you find out what words are related here. If “do up” dose mean “repair” so technically(!) we would be able to write both of these sentences (I think):
What are you repairing there? = What are you doing up there?
Considering your explanations there is no doubt that ‘doing+up’ is not used in this question but I’m just wondering how do you recognize that.
It’s just experience, combined with context and intonation (if it’s spoken).
Thank you. @};-