Existing in this Gen Z generation means you receive or have received texts from Gen Zs in mnemonics. That is, instead of always writing in full, they use the first letter of each word to communicate.
Examples of things you would see are GM, HWYN, WYD, etc. This article will explain what WYD means when it is used and other ways you can say WYD (with explanations.)
WYD popularly stands for ‘What Are You Doing?’, and as simple a question it may appear to be, it means lots of interesting things. It is used when you simply want to know what the person is doing at a particular moment.
It could also be a subtle way to know if the person is free at that particular moment or to know why the person is behaving in a particular way that is out of character.
Now that you know what WYD means, there are more descriptive and expressive ways of saying WYD, and in this article, we will be exploring fifteen (15) of them.
What to Say Instead of ‘WYD’
- What are you doing?
- What’s up with you?
- Are you busy?
- What do you enjoy doing at times like this when you are free?
- Hey pretty, what are you up to?
- Is this a good time to ask your advice on something?
- If you have nothing doing now, there is a book/song I’d like you to read/listen to.
- Do you have time for a chit-chat?
- If you are free to send me some songs you like now, I could listen to them and tell you what I think.
- What do you do during special times like this?
- Are your hands busy right now or do you think you can help me out with this?
- Are you living your best life?
- How are you feeling?
- What do you think about this?
- How’s your project going?
What Are You Doing?
Instead of using the mnemonics, why don’t we simply ask, ‘What are you doing?’ No matter how fast this generation wants to be, speaking properly can never run out of fashion.
There are still millennials and Gen Zs with old souls living amongst us, so for their sake, it is wise to use ‘What are You Doing?’ instead of WYD. I mean, it will be more stressful to say WYD and get asked, ‘what do you mean?’
It is mostly suitable when you are speaking to a millennial or someone who is not yet familiar with mnemonics slang.
Also, if you are speaking to someone you have a business relationship with, it is safer to use this alternative instead cause you are expected to be professional.
- ‘What are you doing?’
- ‘Nothing for now.’
What’s Up With You?
The meaning of this phrase, ‘What’s Up With You?’, depends on the mood and the situation at that point. It could be used to express concern about what someone is doing or as a means of questioning someone’s actions at a particular moment.
The tone you use in asking the question will determine its meaning – whether you are angry or simply concerned. Generally, it is used when you want to find out directly or indirectly what the other person is doing at that particular moment.
- ‘What’s up with you?’
- ‘Nothing much.’
Are You Busy?
Sometimes, when someone says WYD, they are trying to find out if you are busy at the moment. It could be that they want to engage you in a conversation, so they want to know if you are free to indulge them.
This phrase is very simple and quite straight to the point when trying to find out if someone is occupied at a particular time.
- ‘Are you busy?’
- ‘Yeah, I’m quite occupied right now.’
What Do You Enjoy Doing At Times Like This When You Are Free?
Instead of asking them WYD as if you have the right to demand their time, you can make it a little more diplomatic. However, this can only be used when you know for sure that they are free else it will be based merely on assumption.
This is also a reformed and alternative way of chatting with your ‘talking stage’ instead of merely saying ‘What are you doing?’
- ‘What do you enjoy doing at times like this when you are free?’
- ‘I just like reading, watching movies, and sleeping, I think.’
Hey pretty, what are you up to?
The intro, ‘Hey pretty…’, shows that a lady is being addressed, and since ladies love to be called pretty, this is a great way to ask them WYD. If you are addressing a guy, you can just say, ‘Hey handsome, what are you up to?’
Since this statement is informal, it is advisable to use it with people you have already developed a form of relationship with.
- ‘Hey pretty, what are you up to?’
- ‘Nothing much. WBU?’
Is this a good time to ask your advice on something?
When you need to ask someone for a piece of advice on something, instead of texting WYD, you can just ask them if it is a good time to come to them for counseling.
It is a more expressive way to ask WYD because it states exactly what you want from them. Being succinct gets you a faster response than just asking WYD.
- ‘Is this a good time to ask your advice on something, cause I don’t want to make a mistake?’
- ‘I’m always free to give you advice on anything, what is it?’
If you have nothing to do now, there is a book/song I’d like you to read/listen to
Sometimes, if you ask someone WYD, they may want to know why you are asking. So, instead of waiting for them to ask why, just go straight to the point about what you need from them.
The statement is more of an implied question to know exactly what the person is doing at that point and how free they are.
- ‘If you have nothing to do now, there is a book/song I’d like you to read/listen to.’
- ‘Alright. I’ll be with you soon, let me just finish what I’m currently doing.’
Do you have time for a chit-chat?
This is another way to ask WYD, and it is used to know if someone is up to talk. It is mostly used if you are familiar with the person you are speaking to cause it will be weird to ask a stranger if they are up for a chitchat.
You could give it a try though, you never know what stranger will be interested in hearing you out. There have been instances of people taking their shots with a stranger and it ending in a happily ever after.
- ‘Do you have time for a chit-chat?’
- ‘Yeah, I’m actually free now.’
If you are free to send me some songs you like now, I could listen to them and tell you what I think
This is suitable if you had discussed with someone about sending you some songs. It could be a genre of songs that you people had talked about or just their playlist.
So, instead of asking them WYD before you make their request, you could just go straight to the point so that whenever they see your message, they can respond accordingly.
- ‘If you can send me some songs like now,…’
- ‘Yeah.’
- ‘…I can listen to them and tell you what I think.’
What do you do during special times like this?
If you need to get your game up when talking to the opposite sex, then this is the best alternative way to say WYD. Spoken in a soft, bedroom tone, you could get the person thinking you have rizz.
Just like the statement indicates, this alternative question is most suitable when it is a special occasion or something unique is happening at particular times.
- ‘What do you do during special times like this?’
- ‘I’m currently eating a cup of parfait covered with my Egyptian cotton sheets and watching Netflix. This is how I celebrate special occasions.’
Are your hands busy right now or do you think you can help me out with this?
This statement indicates that you are in the same space as the person, and you need their help with something. So instead of asking WYD, you can use this question instead.
For instance, if you are in the room, and you need help from someone else (like your sibling or spouse) who is in another part of the house, then this is the best alternative to use instead of WYD.
- ‘Are your hands busy right now or do you think you can help me out with this?’
- ‘I’m currently preparing a light snack, so give me a few minutes and I will get back to you.’
Are You Living Your Best Life?
If the person you are speaking to had informed you prior to that moment that they would be performing a fun activity, then instead of asking them WYD, you can just say, ‘Are you living your best life?’
Now, in situations like this, you are already aware of what they are doing generally. However, it could be that you wish to find out what they are doing at a particular time of the event or how the event is going.
This alternative is mostly used amongst friends or people who are familiar with each other because it sounds quite informal.
For instance, your best friend lets you know that they will finally be going for a much-needed vacation. Asking them if they are living their best life is a way of fishing for information.
How Are You Feeling?
One may ask what is the relationship between asking someone what they are doing and how they are feeling, and I think the best way to show the connection is to give an instance.
If perhaps the person you are speaking to have been feeling sick or had a depressive episode, you can ask them how they are feeling to know what the sickness is doing to their body cause apparently they are not even strong enough to do anything.
- ‘How are you feeling?’
- ‘Well, I just finished taking my drugs/ I just finished a visit with the doctor.’
What Do You Think About This?
This question is a little assumptive because you are already assuming that they are free enough to give their opinion about something.
It could also be that you are aware that they don’t have much doing so you want to get them doing something such as saying what they think about something.
If then your assumption is wrong and they actually have something to do, then they will probably let you know.
- ‘What do you think about this?’
- ‘Give me a minute, I’m working on something, I will get back to you.’
How’s your project going?
This is another way to ask someone what they are doing in clear terms. Here, the expression project could mean any form of activity that is keeping them occupied.
Hence, when you use this statement instead of simply saying WYD, then you wish to know which stage they are in the project they proposed to carry out.
- ‘How’s your project going?’
- ‘Good.’
To End With,
Although this article has successfully explained fifteen things to say instead of WYD, it does not mean that the alternatives are limited. Another alternative not mentioned in the article, ‘What will be your next step?’
For instance: “If your date takes you to Walmart instead of a proper restaurant, WYD?”
The statements are not written in mnemonics cause not everyone understands the GEN Z language. It is easier to translate into Gen Z language than the other way around. The statements also cover statements that can be used in specific occasions.
If there are other ways to say WYD aside from the ones mentioned in this article, do well to write them in the comment section below.
