What are you doing this weekend?
What are you doing this weekend?
How to talk about the weekend plans in English?
In English, there are a number of common questions and also answers that native English speakers commonly use to talk about their weekend plans. Before the weekend is coming, this is a great and appropriate topic that you can chat with your friends about.
After studying or working during the weekedays, everyone usually plans or intends to do something different for the coming weekend. Some people might want to do something fun with their close friends or families, while for some might just want to spend the weekend relaxing at home.
In this English lesson you will learn a range of various questions and answers that definitely can help you be able to ask somone about his or her weekend plans and to answer when you are asked about your weekend plans in English.
Here are some common questions native English speakers often use to ask someone about their weekend plans in a range of types:
Type 1
Some common questions in type 1 include:
1. What are you doing at the weekend?
2. What are you doing on the weekend?
3. What are you doing over the weekend?
4. What are you doing this weekend?
5. What are you doing for the weekend?
6. What are your plans for this weekend?
7. What's going on this weekend?
8. What's happening for the weekend?
9. What are you doing this upcoming weekend?
10. What are you up to this weekend?
11. What are you getting up to this weekend?
12. Where are you going for the weekend?
13. How are you spending the weekend?
14. Where are you spending the weekend?
15. Who are you spending the weekend with?
Notes:
- Up to / getting up to = doing
- At the weekend/ on the weekend / over the weekend / this weekend refers to the same weekend (= upcoming weekend). These expressions can be exchangeable or optional.
- The phrase 'the weekend' after the verb 'spending' is a noun as shown in numbers 13, 14 and 15.
We use the present continuous question "What are you doing this weekend?" to ask someone about their weekend plans in this context, even though we don't know whether the person has arranged / decided to do something or not. It's incorrect to use "What will you do this weekend?", but "What are you going to do this weekend?" is still possible.
There are three different ways that you can use to answer the questions of that type:
First way
☆If you have arranged / planned to do something for the upcoming weekend, or your plan is definite, you have to answer it using the present continuous.
Examples:
1. A: What are you doing this weekend?
B: I'm meeting up with my friends.
(Meet up means meet someone in order to do something together)
2. A: What are you doing on the weekend?
B: I'm catching up with my friend.
(If you catch up with someone means you meet someone to talk about what's been happening in your life or to exchange news or information)
3. A: What are you doing over the weekend?
B: I'm hanging out with my friends.
(Hang out means spend time in a place or with someone doing something)
4. A: What are you doing this weekend?
B: Not much. I'm just chilling out at home.
(Chill out means spend time relaxing. Native English speakers usually use "Not much" when something is uneventful or uninteresting and the word "just" is often included in this case)
5. A: What are you doing for the weekend?
B: Not much. I'm just sleeping in.
(To sleep in (= catch up on some sleep) means to sleep longer / later to get enough sleep than usual as you haven't got enough sleep before)
6. A: What are you plans for this weekend?
B: I'm catching up on my work. (= I have a lot of work to do / catch up on this weekend)
(If you catch up on your work means you do your work you have to finish as you could not finish it earlier)
7. A: What's going on this weekend?
B: I'm hanging out with my family.
8. A: What are you doing this upcoming weekend?
B: I'm just staying in and catching up on some sleep.
(Stay in means the same as stay home / stay at home)
9. A: What are you up to this weekend?
B: I'm taking my kids to an amusement park.
(Up to can mean doing. Take someone to a place means go somewhere with someone)
10. A: What are you getting up to this weekend?
B: I'm visiting my relatives.
11. A: What are you doing this weekend?
B: I'm going away for the weekend.
(Go away means leave your home in order to spend time somewhere else, usually for a holiday. This phrase is usually used when we don't want to mention a specific place we want to go to.)
12. A: What are you doing for this weekend?
B: I'm having my friends over at my house.
(If you have someone over mean you invite someone to come over to your house usually for a meal or something else.)
13. A: What are you doing at the weekend?
B: I'm having a family get-together over the weekend.
(A family get-together is a gathering of some families, especially for a meal or enjoyment)
14. A: What are you doing this weekend?
B: I'm seeing friends this weekend.
(You can also use meeting friends instead of seeing friends)
15. A: What are you doing on the weekend? (or where are you going for the weekend?)
B: I'm going to a theme park on (for) the weekend.
16. A: What are you up to this weekend?
B: I'm having a barbecue on Saturday night.
(Barbecue is an outdoor meal or party when food is cooked in this way)
17. A: What are your plans for the weekend?
B: I'm cleaning up the house.
18. A: What are you doing over the weekend?
B: I'm cramming for my tests. The first test starts next Monday.
(Cram means try to learn a lot in a short time, before / in a preparation for an exam or a test)
19. A: How are you spending the weekend?
B: I'm spending it (the weekend) going on a picnic with my family.
(Or you can just say 'I'm going on a picnic with my family.')
20. A: Where are you going for the weekend?
B: I'm not going anywhere, but I'm working this weekend.
21. A: What are you up to this weekend?
B: I'm planning to have some me-time over the weekend.
(Me-time means time when you want to do what you enjoy doing, and it usually helps you get refreshment, energy, or relaxation, such as getting a massage, hanging out with your family, eating at your favorite restaurant, or getting together with family or friends.)
Second way
☆ If you have decided to do something for the weekend, but it is still indefinite, you have to use 'be going to form'.
Examples:
1. A: What are you doing at the weekend.
B: I'm going to meet up with my friends.
(In this context, you've decided to meet your friends, but you haven't asked them if they agree to meet up or not)
2. A: What are you doing on the weekend?
B: I'm going to see a movie.
(In this context, you've decided to see a movie, but this is still an indefinite plan)
3. A: What are you up to at the weekend?
B: I'm going to meet my friends for coffee.
(In this situation, you intend to meet your friends for coffee, but you haven't asked your friends about this plan.)
4. A: What are you doing for the weekend?
B: I'm going to take a stroll in the park on Sunday morning.
5. A: What are you doing for this weekend?
B: I'm going to hang out with my family.
6. A: What are you doing on the weekend?
B: I'm going to go on a picnic this weekend.
Third way
☆ However, if you haven't decided what to do for the weekend before the question, then you decide to do something after that, you can use these phrases:
• I think I'll ...
• I don't think I'll ...
• I'll probably ...
• Maybe I'll ...
• I might (may) ...
• Perhaps I'll ...
But the phrases above should come after these expressions below:
▪︎ I'm not sure yet, but ...
▪︎ I don't know for sure, but ...
▪︎ I don't know, but ...
▪︎ I haven't made up my mind, but ...
▪︎ I haven't decided yet, but ...
▪︎ I'm not sure, but ...
▪︎ I'm not sure what to do for the weekend, but ...
Examples:
1. A: What are you doing over the weekend?
B: I haven't decided yet, but I think I'll go out with my friends.
= I'll probably go out with my friends.
= Maybe I'll go out with my friends.
= I might (may) go out with my friends.
= Perhaps I'll go out with my friends.
2. A: What are you doing for the weekend?
B: I don't know, but I think I'll just stay in.
= I'll probably stay in.
= Maybe I'll stay in.
= I might (may) stay in.
= Perhaps I'll stay in.
3. A: What are you up to this upcoming weekend?
B: I'm not sure yet, but I think I'll go for a meal with my family.
= I'll probably go for a meal with my family.
= Maybe I'll go for a meal with my family.
= I might (may) go for a meal with my family.
= Perhaps I'll go for a meal with my family.
Type 2
The other common questions that native English speakers often use to ask someone about their weekend plans in this type are as follows:
- Are you doing anything this weekend?
- Are you doing anything interesting at the weekend?
- Do you have anything planned for the weekend?
- Do you have any plans for the weekend?
- Do you have anything going on this weekend?
- Do you have anything on this weekend?
- Have you got any plans for the weekend?
- Have you got anything on over the weekend?
(anything on is similar to anything planned)
- Any plans for the weekend?
- Got anything on for the weekend?
('Any plans for the weekend?' and 'Got anything on for the weekend?' are short ways to ask someone's weekend plans and we use them to sound more casual.)
Here are ways to answer the questions in that type:
Examples:
1. A: Are you doing anything this weekend?
B: Yes, I'm catching up with some friends.
~ Yes, I'm going to catch up with some friends.
~ No, but I'll probably catch up with some friends.
~ No, but I think I'll catch up with some friends.
~ No, but maybe I'll catch up with some friends.
~ No, but perhaps I'll catch up with some friends.
~ No, but I might (may) catch up with some friends.
Note:
- As it's a yes or no question, so its answer should be a yes or no answer too.
- If you have planned / arranged to do something, and it's definite, you can answer it using yes, then tell your plan in the present continuous form.
- If you have decided to do something, but it's still indefinite, you should tell your plan using 'be going to form'.
- But if you haven't arranged to do something, you should answer it with no, and then tell what you think you'll do with 'will form' / might (may) and adverbs like probably, maybe, or perhaps as shown in the examples above.
However, to answer the question 'Are you doing anything interesting at the weekend?' is a bit different from 'Are you doing anything this weekend?'. As the question emphasizes the word 'interesting', so if what you are doing isn't interesting, you should answer it with 'No' / 'Not much', then tell what you are doing like in:
A: Are you doing anything interesting at the weekend?
B: No, not interesting. I'm just staying in.
= Not much. I'm just staying in.
= Yes, I'm going to the beach with some friends.
A: Do you have anything on this weekend?
B: Yes, (I do). I'm going to the movies with some friends.
= Yes, (I do). I'm going to go to the movies with some friends.
= No, (I don't). But I'll probably go to the movies with some friends.
= No, (I don't). I still haven't made up my mind.
A: Have you got any plans for the weekend?
B: Yes, (I have). I'm going to the movies with some friends.
= Yes, (I have). I'm going to go to the movies with some friends.
= No, (I haven't). But I might go to the movies with some friends.
= No, (I haven't). I haven't decided yet.
Do not confuse. If the question uses 'Do', the answer should be with 'do', while if it uses 'Have', its answer should use 'has' too. And if you don't want a complete answer, only a yes answer is also correct.
Type 3
Some common questions in this type begin with 'Have you decided..?'. We use this phrase to ask a question about someone's weekend plans to make sure if the person has decided to do something for the weekend or not.
Examples:
- Have you decided what to do at the weekend yet?
(= Have you decided what you are doing at the weekend yet?)
- Have you decided how to spend the weekend yet?
(= Have you decided how you are spending the weekend yet?)
- Have you decided where to spend the weekend?
(= Have you decided where you are spending the weekend?)
- Have you decided who to spend the weekend with?
(= Have you decided who you are spending the weekend with?
- Have you decided where to go for the weekend yet?
(= Have you decided where you are going for the weekend yet?)
Here are three ways to answer the questions in this type:
First way
☆ If you have arranged to do something / when your plan is definite.
Examples:
1. A: Have you decided what to do for the weekend yet?
B: Yes, I'm going out with my friends.
2. A: Have you decided how to spend the weekend yet.
B: Yes, I'm just spending it (the weekend) chilling out.
3. A: Have you decided where you are going for the weekend?
B: Yes, I'm going to an amusement park with my family.
3. A: Have you decided where to spend the weekend yet?
B: Yes, I'm just spending it (the weekend) at home / at the beach / in New York.
4. A: Have you decided who you are spending the weekend with?
B: Yes, I'm spending it (the weekend) with my family.
Second way
☆ If you have decided to do something, but it is still indefinite.
Examples:
1. A: Have you decided what to do at the weekend?
B: Yes, I'm going to go out with my friends.
2. A: Have you decided where you are going for the weekend?
B: Yes, I'm going to go to a theme park with my family.
3. A: Have you decided how to spend the weekend?
B: Yes, I'm just going to spend it (the weekend) chilling out.
4. A: Have you decided where you are spending the weekend?
B: Yes, I'm going to spend it (the weekend) at a theme park.
Third way
☆ If you haven't decided what to do something before the question. Then, you have to decide to do something after the question.
Examples:
1. A: Have you decided what you are doing this weekend?
B: Not yet, but I think I'll go out with my friends.
2. A: Have you decide where you are going for the weekend?
B: Not yet, but I'll probably go to the beach with my friends.
3. A: Have you decided how you are spending the weekend?
B: Not yet, but maybe I'll spend it (the weekend) hanging out with my family.
4. A: Have you decided where you are spending the weekend?
B: Not yet, but I might (= may) spend it (the weekend) at my relative's house.
5. A: Have you decided what to do over the weekend?
B: Not yet, but perhaps I'll just stay in.
Here are three common expressions that you can use to wish someone a good weekend:
Enjoy your weekend!
Have a good weekend!
Happy weekend!
Example conversation:
Gina: Hi, Susan. What are you doing this weekend?
Susan: Hey, Gina. Well, I'm hanging out at the beach with some friends. How about you?
Gina: Wow, that sounds like fun. I'm just staying in for the weekend. I need to catch up on some sleep.
Susan: That's good for you. You'll feel better and more energized after some rest.
Gina: Yeah, I will. Have fun for the weekend, Susan!
Susan: Have a good one too, Gina! Bye.
Extra lesson:
We use the present simple when we ask and answer questions about the usual weekend activities.
The time expressions that we use in this context are:
At weekends ( British English )
On (the) weekends ( American English )
Question
- What do you usually do at weekends. (Not: at the weekends)
- What do you usually do on (the) weekends. (Not: on the weekend)
Answer
- I usually hang out with my family at weekends.
- I usually hang out with my family on weekends (= on the weekends)
I think that was about it. After having known the various questions and answers that are commonly used to talk about the weekend plans in English, now you can have a chat with your friends about your weekend plans more convincingly. Have a try!
See also:
