WYD stands for what (are) you doing?, a casual what are you up to? It's often the first message, to start a chat or invite someone out: wyd tonight? But under someone's strange photo or stunt, bro wyd is a teasing what on earth are you doing? Only write it to friends; to a colleague or teacher, write Are you free? or the full question, and in conversation and IELTS Speaking say it in full too.
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wyd?; wyd + tonight/later/this weekend?; wyd? — nm, u?; bro wyd (teasing: why would you do that?)
- hey wyd? i'm bored and it's raining again
- wyd tonight? there's a free concert in the park
- bro wyd, why are you eating cereal with orange juice
What changed
First versionHi Mr Clarke, wyd? I wanted to ask about the report.
RevisionHi Mr Clarke, are you free? I wanted to ask about the report.
The message to Mr Clarke is about work, and wyd makes it sound like a text to a mate. The neutral are you free? asks what you actually need to know: whether you can interrupt him now. The rest of the message stays the same.
Don't confuse it with What do you do? That asks about someone's job: What do you do? — I'm a nurse. Wyd asks what someone is doing right now: wyd? — making dinner.
Your turn
Me: ___? Friend: nothing much, just lying on the sofa. want to grab coffee?
Show the answer
wyd — You start the conversation, and your friend replies with what they're doing: nothing much, just lying on the sofa. Wbu turns the question back to the other person after you've answered, and in a first message there's nothing to turn back.
Write a first message to a friend to invite them out: start with wyd and name a place and a time.
wyd? want to go to the climbing gym at 7?
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