Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
what is your problem

what is your problem

120 7.8
A question asking why someone is upset or acting angry
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : ¿Cuál es tu problema?
  • DICK: Hey, what's your problem?
  • say "what is your problem"
  • Hey, what is your problem
  • what is your problem, man

right? It's like we're winning. What is your problem? You know,

Examples

  • "Sweetie, what is your problem?"

    Fiction book (1993)

  • A woman kept staring at him and finally came up to him and demanded, 'What's your problem?'

    Blog text (19)

  • Josh: Man, what is your problem?

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Dave, man, what is your problem?

    Fiction book (1998)

  • GALE: What is your problem?

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Jared: OK, what's your problem?

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Tyrell: What's your problem, buddy?

    Fiction book (1998)

  • "God, what is your problem?" Natalie says in disgust.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Eva: What's your problem?

    Fiction book (2000)

  • During the argument, he abruptly asked, 'What is your problem?' to express his frustration.

Synonyms

what's with
vswhat is your problem
  • Informal
262 7.9

Ask why something is happening or seems strange

targets a person's upset or difficult behavior and can be confrontational
what's the matter
vswhat is your problem
  • Informal
161 2.0

A question asking why someone is upset or not feeling well

is used more as a challenge showing annoyance rather than concern
what gives
vswhat is your problem
  • Informal
15 8.9

Asking why something is happening when it seems wrong or surprising

asks about personal upset and often sounds more challenging than neutral curiosity
what's eating at you
vswhat is your problem
  • Informal
1 7.9

To ask what is bothering someone

is often used as a direct, annoyed challenge instead of gentle concern
what's the big idea
vswhat is your problem
  • Informal
8.1

To ask why someone is doing something when you are annoyed or surprised

focuses on upset or troubled feelings rather than a single action

How Aggressive

what is your problem
  • Informal
120 7.8
you're killing me
  • Informal
2 8.9
what's the matter
  • Informal
161 2.0

Surface Forms

what is your problem main

Morphology

what + be + your + problem

The phrase is fully compositional: 'what' + 'is' + 'your' + 'problem' literally asks about the nature of someone's difficulty, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer it is asking why someone is upset or troubled. The confrontational or challenging tone is pragmatic and may require discourse awareness, but the core meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

What is your problem comes from a simple image: imagine someone pointing at a broken machine and asking what is wrong. That's why people say it today to ask 'why are you upset' or as a direct 'challenge' when someone is annoyed.