what's happened? vs what happened (2025)

P

psi

Member

italian

  • Dec 10, 2008
  • #1

Hi,
is it more correct saying "what's happened?" or "what happened?"?
Thanks

  • AlabamaBoy

    Senior Member

    Northern Colorado USA

    American English

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #2

    I would say about the same. There is a slight difference in meaning.

    What's happened = what has happened and is usually more immediate past

    What happened could be more remote past but it could be immediate past also as in "what just happened?"

    cycloneviv

    Senior Member

    Perth, Western Australia

    English - Australia

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #3

    In different contexts, either one would be appropriate. Do you have a particular context in mind? In other words, how would you want to use this phrase?

    B

    bouncy.bouncy

    Senior Member

    WA, USA

    American/British English

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #4

    I would never say "what's happened?" just by itself but they're both correct.

    Einstein

    Senior Member

    Milano, Italia

    UK, English

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #5

    bouncy.bouncy said:

    I would never say "what's happened?" just by itself but they're both correct.

    I think we have a British/American difference here. I would say "What's happened?" to ask why someone is frightened/angry/surprised, in other words to explain the present situation.
    But if I hear a noise, I ask "What happened?", to mean "What was that noise?"

    I can also ask "What's happened while I've been away?" or "What happened while I was away?"

    T

    Thomas Tompion

    Member Emeritus
    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #6

    Is there reason to suppose that the normal differences between the present perfect and the simple past don't apply to the verb to happen?

    I'm not sure of an AE/BE split here any more than the normal one in the application of these tenses, which surprises Americans watching British films, and vice versa, when they can make out what people are saying.

    Einstein

    Senior Member

    Milano, Italia

    UK, English

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #7

    Thomas Tompion said:

    Is there reason to suppose that the normal differences between the present perfect and the simple past don't apply to the verb to happen?

    You're right, it's the normal difference; I wasn't very clear.what's happened? vs what happened (5)

    sound shift

    Senior Member

    Derby (central England)

    English - England

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #8

    It all depends on the context.

    If I found my friend saying "Damn it!" and I knew nothing about the circumstances, I would say "What's happened?" It is my understanding that a speaker of AE might say "What happened?" in these circumstances.

    If the discussion were about a past event that had no bearing on the present, I would say "What happened?"

    D

    Décodeur

    Member

    United States

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #9

    Oddly enough, what's happened is the more immediate of the two inquiries, in my opinion. I'd have to agree with sound shift and einstein as far as my usage of the two phrases goes. For instance, if I were to ask someone about something that just happened, I would say "what's happened?" But if I was going to ask someone about what happened next in a story, I would ask "what happened?" In other words, "what's happened" is for clarification of the present, and "what happened" is for clarification of the past.

    Einstein

    Senior Member

    Milano, Italia

    UK, English

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #10

    Décodeur said:

    For instance, if I were to ask someone about something that just happened, I would say "what's happened?"

    The above sentence shows that the distinction is less clear for Americans, because the reasoning that leads BE speakers to say "What's happened?" also leads them to say "... about something that has just happened".

    D

    Décodeur

    Member

    United States

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #11

    Einstein said:

    The above sentence shows that the distinction is less clear for Americans, because the reasoning that leads BE speakers to say "What's happened?" also leads them to say "... about something that has just happened".

    An excellent observation, Einstein.

    BantyMom

    Senior Member

    California

    English - USA

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #12

    it depends on if you are talking about what is grammatically correct (as if for writing) or what you might hear. I know that were I live, people are notoriously sloppy and stick 's on everything. People who would never think to say "What has happened?" say "What's happened?" all the time.

    It's the same as people using "there's" when referring to plural things, as in "Hey! There's seven cockroaches on my plate!" and yet, these same people would never say "there is seven...." But they use "there's" all the time here, even on the news where their text is written for them, rather than say "There are" or "They're". It's rampant.

    "What happened to you?" might mean "What took you so long to get here," as well as "You're a mess, were you in an accident?"

    whereas "What's happened to you?" might also refer to the disheveled state of your appearance upon arriving late at a party, but might also mean to inquire about your sudden lack of punctuality, as in, "You've always been a reliable person, why are you suddenly turning up late and filthy to your appointments?"

    P

    psi

    Member

    italian

    • Dec 10, 2008
    • #13

    Thanks everybody

    Einstein

    Senior Member

    Milano, Italia

    UK, English

    • Dec 11, 2008
    • #14

    "What happened to you?" might mean "What took you so long to get here?"

    I'd say this in BE too, because it means "What happened to you on your way here?" (a finished situation).
    But if I were still waiting for the person I'd say "What's (what has) happened to him/her?" because it refers to the present situation (non-arrival).

    K

    Kirusha

    Senior Member

    St Petersburg, Russia

    Russian

    • Mar 2, 2018
    • #15

    The following excerpt was taken from a Russian exam:
    "Kate called me early in the morning. It was the second day of holidays; I felt angry with her for waking me up.
    “What ________

    HAPPEN

    __________?” I didn’t sound very polite, but she paid no attention to that."

    To me the Present Perfect - "What's happened?" - seems more apposite in the context (I don't like being aroused from my holiday slumber). Would you agree? Or would you be more likely to use the Past Simple? I'm interested in BE in particular.

    T

    Thomas Tompion

    Member Emeritus

    Southern England

    English - England

    • Mar 2, 2018
    • #16

    Kirusha said:

    The following excerpt was taken from a Russian exam:
    "Kate called me early in the morning. It was the second day of holidays; I felt angry with her for waking me up.
    “What ________

    HAPPEN

    __________?” I didn’t sound very polite, but she paid no attention to that."

    To me the Present Perfect - "What's happened?" - seems more apposite in the context (I don't like being aroused from my holiday slumber). Would you agree? Or would you be more likely to use the Past Simple? I'm interested in BE in particular.

    Yes, I'd agree with you, in the absence of further context.

    What happened? suggests you were expecting something to have happened. Maybe you knew that Kate was going to an important interview, or something like that.

    K

    Kirusha

    Senior Member

    St Petersburg, Russia

    Russian

    • Mar 2, 2018
    • #17

    Thank you, Thomas.

    R

    rino delbello

    Senior Member

    italian

    • Nov 9, 2022
    • #18

    Hi All

    What about the following dialogue? Which between the two in bold fits best?

    Yesterday, I behaved very badly with Sam. We had a long discussion, then he shouted at me and left. I feel I made a big mistake which might get things worse.

    I'm very sorry for both of you. What happened?/What's happened?

    Last edited:

    sound shift

    Senior Member

    Derby (central England)

    English - England

    • Nov 9, 2022
    • #19

    Re. #18

    Definitely "What happened?", because the reference is to a finished, definite, past ("yesterday") event.

    se16teddy

    Senior Member

    London but from Yorkshire

    English - England

    • Nov 9, 2022
    • #20

    rino delbello said:

    Yesterday, I behaved very badly with Sam. We had a long discussion, then he shouted at me and left. I feel I made a big mistake which might get things worse.

    I'm very sorry for both of you. What happened?/What's happened?

    What sort of answer is the speaker expecting? It seems glaringly obvious what happened - a row with Sam.

    R

    rino delbello

    Senior Member

    italian

    • Nov 9, 2022
    • #21

    Thank you a lot, se16teddy they had a very heated discussion because Sam's friend had spoken to someone behind his back and then Sam find it out, but it didn't lead to any row.

    Last edited:

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