What's cooking Meaning in English
expression
ˈhwəts/, /ˈwəts/ /ˈkʊkɪŋ
WUHTS KOO-king
wɒts/ /kˈʊkɪŋ
WOTS KU-king
Definition
An informal greeting used to ask someone what is happening or if there is any news. It can also literally mean asking what is being cooked, but is much more often used as a casual way of saying hello or checking in.
Usage & Nuances
Very informal; used mainly in American English as a friendly greeting, similar to 'What's up?'. Rarely used in serious or professional settings. Sometimes also used literally when asking about food.
Spanish: ¿qué pasa? - ¿qué hay de nuevo?Portuguese (BR): o que está pegando? - e aí?Portuguese (PT): o que se passa? - então?Chinese (Simplified): 怎么了 - 有什么新鲜事Chinese (Traditional): 怎麼了 - 有什麼新鮮事Hindi: क्या चल रहा है?Arabic: ما الأخبار؟ - ماذا يحدث؟Bengali: কী খবর - কী চলছেRussian: что нового - как делаJapanese: 最近どう？ - 何してるの？Vietnamese: có gì mới không - có chuyện gì vậyKorean: 무슨 일이야? - 뭐 새로운 거 있어?Turkish: ne var ne yok - neler oluyorUrdu: کیا حال ہے - کیا چل رہا ہےIndonesian: ada apa - apa kabar
Example Sentences
Hey, what's cooking?
basic
What's cooking at your place tonight?
basic
Sam walked in and said, "What's cooking?"
basic
Long time no see! What's cooking with you these days?
natural
What's cooking in the office? Any big changes?
natural
If you want to know what's cooking, just ask Lisa—she knows everything.
natural