Cool MateWhat's all that about vs What's happening
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
What's all that about
InformalTop 3,000 (common)
What's happening
Top 2,000 (common)
Most formal: What's happeningMost common: What's happening
| What's all that about | What's happening | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //wɒts ɔːl ðæt əˈbaʊt//🇺🇸 //wɑts ɔl ðæt əˈbaʊt// | 🇬🇧 //wɒts ˈhæpənɪŋ//🇺🇸 //wɑts ˈhæpənɪŋ// |
| Meaning | What does this mean or refer to? | A way to ask what is going on. |
| Example | After hearing the strange noises, she asked, "What's all that about?" | I ran into John at the party and asked, 'What's happening?' |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | what's all that noise about, what's all that fuss about, what's all that chatter about | What's happening now, What's happening here, What's happening with you |
| Common mistakes | Used in formal contexts, Misunderstanding the phrase as an inquiry about a specific detail rather than general meaning, Not using it in conversational tone | Using in formal contexts like business meetings., Confusing with 'What's happening with you?', which is more personalized. |
| Usage notes | "What's all that about" is often used in casual conversations to ask for clarification. It's not appropriate in formal settings. | "What's happening" is informal and often used among friends. It's best avoided in very formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: What's all that about vs What's happening
What's the difference between What's all that about and What's happening?
What's all that about: What does this mean or refer to? What's happening: A way to ask what is going on.
Which is more formal: What's all that about and What's happening?
What's happening is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: What's all that about and What's happening?
What's happening is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
What's all that about: After hearing the strange noises, she asked, "What's all that about?" What's happening: I ran into John at the party and asked, 'What's happening?'
Can I use What's all that about and What's happening interchangeably?
Not always. What's all that about and What's happening are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.