What happen/s

[KripXP]

Hi all!! I'd like to know if "What happens?" is correct or if the right phrase would be "What happen?"... or if both of them are fine.

Thanks

 

[Magg]

I'd say it's correct.

In this type of sentence, you have to consider the question word 'what' as a third person singular.

Well, it's the way I do, if it's not the right answer, I'll be looking forward to reading other comments.

Cheers

 

[22caps]

Just from an English speaker´s point of view, it´s DEFINITELY "What happens?" "What happen?" sounds horrible to my ears.

 

[Focalist]

If Impossible n'est pas français, "What happen" is not English!

Except, except... you can say things like "You chose what happen to be my three favourite records" = "Por casualidad, elegiste mis tres discos favoritos".

F

 

[jacinta]

What happened? yesterday, an hour ago

What happens now?

What's happening? what's going on?

They happen to be my favorite shoes. They are in fact my favorite shoes.

 

[KripXP]

Thanks mates . I also thought that the first one was the right sentence.

 

[Artrella]

Thanks mates . I also thought that the first one was the right sentence.

Krip, it is WHAT HAPPENS or you could also say in a more informal way
WHAT'S GOING ON?
However if you refer to the past I think you have to say WHAT HAS HAPPENED? or WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY WITH YOUR CAR? (for instance)
I don't think you can use WHAT WENT ON YESTERDAY? Please sb can clarify this last point? What'sup? Whazzup? What about these two? (in Eminem's songs these appear a lot!)
THKS Art.

 

[garryknight]

If you mean "What happens?" as in "¿Qué pasa?" then Artrella's answer, "What's going on?" is a good one. Another is "What's happening?"

 

[garryknight]

However if you refer to the past I think you have to say WHAT HAS HAPPENED? or WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY WITH YOUR CAR? (for instance)
I don't think you can use WHAT WENT ON YESTERDAY? Please sb can clarify this last point?

Yes, you could say "What happened yesterday with your car?" "What's happened to your car?". You could say "What went on yesterday?" but people are more likely to say "What was going on yesterday?" It's the same use of the pretérito and the imperfecto as in Spanish, with the same subtle differences in meaning.