student asking question

Can I say "what's up" instead of "what's wrong" in this context?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Great question! You can absolutely say "what's up" in this context, but there is a small difference in nuance. "What's up" is a general question without strongly implying any specific emotions. "What's wrong" shows that the speaker recognizes the negative emotion of the person they are speaking to. Ex: What's up? You haven't called me all weekend. Ex: I see that you're struggling with your homework. What's wrong?

Popular Q&As

12/17

Complete the expression with a quiz!