What happens in the video
Theo is busy drawing a duck, so when Hana comes over, he snaps, "What do you want?" Hana says she brought cake, but the duck can have it. Theo says sorry and asks, "How can I help you?" Hana asks him to eat the cake with her, because the duck already said no.
1 What's on your mind?
Tone Warm and friendly
Use it when a friend, partner, or coworker looks worried or quiet and you want them to talk. It isn't a good fit at a service desk, because it asks about feelings, not tasks.
What's on your mind?
For example:
A: You've been quiet all morning. What's on your mind?
B: I'm nervous about my exam tomorrow.
A: Do you want to study together tonight?
2 How can I help you?
Tone Polite and helpful
Good with coworkers and customers, in person or on the phone. With close friends it can sound a little formal, so a plain "What's up?" may fit better.
How can I help you?
For example:
A: Hi, sorry to bother you.
B: No problem. How can I help you?
A: I can't open the shared folder.
3 What can I do for you?
Tone Polite and professional
Great for clients and visitors who come to your office, shop, or desk. It sounds ready to act. Don't use it when someone just wants to chat, because it suggests they came for a task.
What can I do for you?
For example:
A: Good morning. What can I do for you?
B: I'd like to change my appointment to Friday.
A: Sure, let me check the times.
4 What do you need?
Tone Direct and practical
Use it with people you know when time is short and you want to help fast. Say it in a calm voice, or it can sound impatient.
For example:
A: Do you have a minute?
B: Yes. What do you need?
A: Just your signature on this form.
5 Is there something I can help you with?
Tone Gentle and polite
Use it when someone seems lost or unsure, like a visitor looking around. It works with strangers, but it's long for a quick chat with a friend.
For example:
A: Is there something I can help you with?
B: Yes, I'm looking for room 12.
A: It's on the second floor.
6 What brings you here?
Tone Friendly and curious
Use it when someone arrives and you want to know the reason for the visit. It's friendly, but it isn't right when the reason is obvious, like a customer at a checkout.
For example:
A: Hi! I didn't expect to see you here. What brings you here?
B: I'm meeting a friend for lunch.
7 What can I get you?
Tone Friendly service
Use it in a cafe, bar, or restaurant, or when you offer a guest a drink at home. Don't use it at an office desk, because it's about food, drinks, or items.
For example:
A: Hi there. What can I get you?
B: A small coffee, please.
A: Coming right up.
8 What's up?
Tone Casual and relaxed
Use it with friends and close coworkers when they call or come over. It's too casual for clients, customers, or a formal email.
For example:
A: Hey, got a second?
B: Sure, what's up?
A: Can you help me move a table later?
Common mistakes
-
Not quite
How I can help you?Better How can I help you?
In a question, can comes before the subject I. "How I can help you" is only correct inside a longer sentence, like "Tell me how I can help you."
-
Not quite
What can I do to you?Better What can I do for you?
Use for when you do something to help a person. "Do something to someone" often means affecting them in a bad way, so it sounds strange or even threatening.
-
Not quite
A customer walks in and you say: "What do you want?"Better A customer walks in and you say: "How can I help you?"
"What do you want?" is grammatically fine, but with customers it can sound rude or annoyed. A service line sounds welcoming.
Quick quiz
Choose your answer for each question, then open the answer to check it.
-
Your friend looks worried and is not talking. Which line fits best?
- What can I get you?
- What's on your mind?
- What can I do for you?
Show the answer (Question 1)
Answer: What's on your mind? It's a warm way to invite someone to share a worry or a thought.
-
A client comes to your office desk. Which line is the most professional?
- What's up?
- What do you want?
- What can I do for you?
Show the answer (Question 2)
Answer: What can I do for you? It's polite and professional, and it shows you are ready to help.
-
Which question has the correct word order?
- How I can help you?
- How can I help you?
- How can help I you?
Show the answer (Question 3)
Answer: How can I help you? In a question, can comes before the subject I.
-
You work in a cafe. A customer comes to the counter. What do you say?
- What can I get you?
- What's on your mind?
- What brings you here?
Show the answer (Question 4)
Answer: What can I get you? It asks about food or drinks, which is what a cafe customer wants.
-
In the Short, why does Theo change "What do you want?" to "How can I help you?"
- He wants to sound kinder after being rude
- He wants to sound more casual
- He is asking about the duck
Show the answer (Question 5)
Answer: He wants to sound kinder after being rude He says sorry first, then uses a polite line to show he really wants to help.
Questions learners ask
Is "What do you want?" rude in English?
Not always. Between friends, said with a smile, it can be fine. But said quickly or by someone who is busy, it often sounds annoyed. With customers, clients, or people you don't know well, use "How can I help you?" instead.
What's the difference between "How can I help you?" and "What can I do for you?"
Both are polite and mean almost the same thing. "How can I help you?" is very common with coworkers, customers, and on the phone. "What can I do for you?" sounds a little more professional and fits clients and visitors well.
How do I ask a friend what's wrong without being too direct?
Try "What's on your mind?" It's warm and gives your friend space to talk. You can make it softer by first saying what you notice, like "You seem quiet today."
Can I say "How may I help you?"
Yes. "May" is a little more formal than "can," and you'll often hear it in shops, hotels, and on customer service calls. In everyday work talk, "How can I help you?" is more common and sounds just as polite.
Film lines are short quotes used for language teaching. The dialogue belongs to its rightsholders. Theo and Hana are animated characters made with Google Flow.
