Difference?

Question

What is the difference between 1) What are you thinking?2) What are you thinking about?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

You might use those in two different situations.

1) You're talking with someone. The two of you are considering how to solve a problem. The other person seems to have a partial solution. He gives an example of something that might work, but he stops before finishing his explanation. Maybe he isn't sure it's a good idea. But you're curious to know where he's going in his train of thought. You want to know what he has to offer so far, even if it's wrong. So you ask "What are you thinking?" as if to say "What have you got in mind?" or "What more can you say?" In a way, it's like asking "What's next?"

2) You see someone staring into space. This person shows some emotion in his face. Maybe he suddenly seems sad, or maybe he starts to smile. You ask, "What are you thinking about?", which is a way of saying, "I notice that you're lost in your thoughts. You're barely moving. But still, there seems to be something going through your mind just now".

These might not be the only situations in which you might use these sentences, but at least it's a few examples that show you how they can differ.

CJ

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