what's the matter
161
2.0
- idiom
- Informal
:
qué te pasa
- - What's the matter, Art?
- see what's the matter
Examples
-
When I finally found her, she looked alarmed to see me and asked what was the matter.
Fiction book (1997) -
When the boy finally pulled over, Noah, rolling down his window, called out, "What's the matter, son?"
Fiction book (1990) -
- What is the matter?
-
So, I ask, what's the matter, buddy?
-
Raymond, what is the matter with you?
-
- What's the matter with Jack?
-
I don't know what's the matter with that boy.
Academic text (1993) -
I don't know what's the matter with you.
Fiction book (1993) -
On vacation, holed up in a hotel room, my parents asked, "What's the matter with you?"
Academic text (2017) -
Hey, what's the matter with you these past few days?
Synonyms
262
7.9
Ask why something is happening or seems strange
34
8.2
Asking for news or details about a person's situation informally
15
8.9
Asking why something is happening when it seems wrong or surprising
1
7.9
To ask what is bothering someone
1
8.2
To ask for information about a person or situation
Antonyms
How Serious
- Informal
1
7.9
- Informal
161
2.0
- Informal
554
7.2
- Informal
139
5.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to ask what is wrong' is directly and compositionally derived from 'what's' (what is) + 'the matter' (the problem/issue), so a learner who knows these constituents will readily infer the question's intent. This is a common, literal question pattern in English (and similar in many languages), making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
What's the matter comes from using matter to mean 'thing' or 'problem'. Imagine someone pointing at a broken toy and asking which 'thing' needs fixing, so we say what's the matter when we want to know 'what is wrong' or show concern.