What are you doing here? [How to say it]

[hhtt21]

How to say it?

When we meet a tourist or some tourists, how can we ask about them the reason that they are here?

I think "What are you doing here" is a little rude.

 

[teechar]

How [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] can I say the following? [STRIKE]it?[/STRIKE]

When we meet a tourist or some tourists, how can we ask [STRIKE]about[/STRIKE] them about the reason that they are here?

I think "What are you doing here?" is a little rude.

Yes, that can be rude. Try, for example,
What made you come to Cairo?
What inspired you to visit Paris?

 

[hhtt21]

Yes, that can be rude. Try, for example,
What made you come to Cairo?
What inspired you to visit Paris?

Would you please judge these?

1."How can we ask about the reason to them why they are there"
2. "What's your business here"?

 

[Rover_KE]

2. "What's your business here?"

An aggressive immigration officer of an unfriendly nation might ask that.

 

[hhtt21]

Would you please judge these?

5. "What is the purpose of coming to Istanbul?"
6. "What is your pupose to come to Istanbul?"
7. "What is your purpose of coming to Istanbul?"

 

[emsr2d2]

6 and 7 are ungrammatical. 5 is grammatical but loses the idea that you are asking the person for their reason for coming. You are asking for general reasons for coming to Istanbul.
All three are too formal for a casual chat with a tourist.

 

[teechar]

Would you please judge these?

5. "What is the purpose of coming to Istanbul?"
6. "What is your pupose to come to Istanbul?"
7. "What is your purpose of coming to Istanbul?"

I don't like any of those. You might hear "What is the purpose of your visit to Istanbul?", but only some kind of official (e.g. immigration officer) might ask that.

 

[jutfrank]

In casual English, an enquiring, friendly native-speaker might ask So what brings you to Istanbul?

 

[hhtt21]

In casual English, an enquiring, friendly native-speaker might ask So what brings you to Istanbul?

I will have asked the use of "bring" in the future but you did it now. But shouldn't it be in the simple past instead of the simple present?

 

[Rover_KE]

No. The question 'What brought you to Istanbul?' could elicit the reply 'The Orient Express'.

 

[hhtt21]

It could be, but there is no 'should' about it.

The confusing thing is that they already came but you say it in the simple present. This is really confusing to me.

 

[jutfrank]

The confusing thing is that they already came but you say it in the simple present. This is really confusing to me.

I understand your confusion. You could use brought but I think brings is probably more common.

You might think of it like saying What is the reason you are here? (asking about a present reason) instead of What was your reason for coming here? (asking about a past reason.)

Or you could just think of it as a fixed expression: What brings you to ___? and not worry about the grammar.

 

[hhtt21]

Yes, that can be rude. Try, for example,
What made you come to Cairo?
What inspired you to visit Paris?

But would you please explain are the phrases "What made you" and "What inspired you" the ones of those which can be used for every situation?

 

[hhtt21]

2.What's your business here?

An aggressive immigration officer of an unfriendly nation might ask that.

What about this?

8. Are you here for business?

 

[GoesStation]

What about this?

8. Are you here for business?

That's okay in casual conversation—but on business would be more natural.

 

[hhtt21]

That's okay in casual conversation—but on business would be more natural.

Would you please judge the ninth one.

9. Are you here on business or for pleasure?

 

[teechar]

But would you please [STRIKE]explain are[/STRIKE] confirm if the phrases "What made you" and "What inspired you" [STRIKE]the ones of those which[/STRIKE] can be used for every situations?

Yes, they can, especially the first.

 

[GoesStation]

Would you please judge the ninth one.

9. Are you here on business or for pleasure?

That's correct and natural.

 

[emsr2d2]

I would stick with the one preposition in that one. "Are you here for business or pleasure?"

 

[hhtt21]

I would stick with the one preposition in that one. "Are you here for business or pleasure?"

If you use "holiday" instead of pleasure, which also implies pleasure, can you still stick with one preposition on or you have to say "Are you here for presure or on holiday"?