My friend like to ask me "what are you up to", what is this actually means? and what should i reply ?
Also, i heard people like to say "handful", for instance, my colleage talk to me and said "this is my daughter(when showing me her daughter pic), she keeps me handful". What is that "handful" means in this situation ???
Thanks a lot if i can get my doubt off.
2007-12-07 04:20:11 · 6 answers · asked by fedor_fan 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
What are you up to means what are you doing lately. If someone asked my what I was up to, I'd jokingly answer "No good".
If someone says they have a handful of something, it means they have some. I know a handful of chords on the guitar, meaning a know a few chords but not a lot of them.
If they says she keeps my hands full...it means she's a handfull...she keeps them busy. If it's a little kid, it means he's always getting into things, not necessarily bad, but the kid is busy and active, and the adult gets a little worn out. If they're referring to an adult or a teenager as a handful, it's a little more negative, as though that person were naughty or not able to make good decisions for herself. If my husband said he had his hands full with me, I'd be offended.
If someone refers to a woman as a handful, they could be commenting on her zoftig figure. Zoftig is a Yiddish word, meaning pleasantly plump or curvaceous.
These are idiomatic phrases, and have to be considered in the context they're used.
2007-12-07 04:31:07 · answer #1 · answered by Debdeb 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"What are you up to?" means "What are you doing?" Just answer by saying what you're doing at the time.
I feel sure your colleague said, "She's a handful" That means the daughter keeps your colleague busy and the daughter has a lot of energy. This is usually a phrase of affection.
I hope this helps!
2007-12-07 04:29:30 · answer #2 · answered by christiekpoe 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What are you up to? = What are you doing?
It can also mean "How have you been doing lately?" in the context of not having seen someone for a while.
"She keeps my hand full" or "She's a handful" means she's difficult to take care of, like carrying something with two hands and someone wanting you to help them or carry something else. Not now thanks I have my hands full.
2007-12-07 05:38:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What's up! simply means what's going on in your life today? Simple greeting.
She's a handful means she is very active and she keeps me busy.
2007-12-07 04:31:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My friends do that to me too what are you up to means what are you doing cause im bored
and handful means that she keeps her busy meaning sports school activities thats all that mean
2007-12-07 04:26:16 · answer #5 · answered by littlemama66441 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It depends on how they say it.
2007-12-07 04:27:14 · answer #6 · answered by jmattiesmufc 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋