‘What’s popping’ is another simple but old slang you may have come across. It doesn’t have a special meaning that’s difficult to guess.
You just may be right if you take a run at guessing its meaning.
‘What’s popping’ is similar to ‘What’s up’ and other questions that ask about welfare. It is also similar to ‘What’s happening’.
It can be used in several contexts to ask several questions but none of them is so hard to guess. An unpopular meaning of this phrase is ‘Hello’.
While this interpretation may seem weird to you, the phrase can be used to greet and start conversations.
You can respond by saying ‘Nothing yet’ and this is suitable when there is an unfinished discussion on a topic which you are supposed to provide an update for.
Below are 20 properly explained responses and the contexts in which they function.
20 Best Responses to “What’s Poppin”
- Nothing much
- You are not going to believe this.
- How am I supposed to know that?
- It’s a whole lot of things
- See for yourself.
- Nothing that concerns us really.
- I should be asking you
- Are you asking me?
- Nothing is popping. I’m staying home today.
- There is so much to talk about.
- There is nothing, as we speak.
- You don’t know?
- It’s nothing so important. Not a big deal.
- Where have you been, man?
- You missed it.
- I wish you saw it yourself.
- I was going to ask you that. I don’t know.
- It’s just me and boredom.
- Why do you care? Ignore it.
- I was waiting for you.
Nothing much
As stated in the intro, ‘What’s popping’ can ask several questions. However, one should be able to tell which question is being asked, depending on the context.
When a friend walks up to you and the first thing he says is ‘What’s popping’, he or she is simply saying ‘What’s up?’
It is a welfare question so you don’t have to bother about answering wrongly. You can say ‘Nothing much’. This response implies that there haven’t been a lot of things going on with you.
You may also answer by saying what you are planning to do. ‘Nothing much’, in that context, implies that you won’t be doing anything special or exciting.
You are not going to believe this.
‘What’s popping’ may also be translated to mean ‘What’s happening’. Your friend can ask this question while referring to a topic with his or her expressions.
He or she may be asking for new information or an update. It is usually clear that this question is being asked so you will know when to give the response suggested above.
This response implies that you have news or an update to share and the person will be surprised or shocked to hear it.
This doesn’t show whether it is good or bad news but your facial expression can help the person guess which to expect.
How am I supposed to know that?
This response works in the same context as the one mentioned earlier. Your friend can ask this question while obviously referring to a topic or a ruckus.
The question is asking about what or why something is happening. It is asked objectively but you can only say what you know.
However, what do you say when you don’t even know anything about what is happening?
You can respond with this question if you don’t know what the topic or ruckus is about. This response implies that you obviously are not supposed to know.
The topic may have nothing to do about you or the ruckus may be too far from where you are. Obviously, you are not supposed to know about it.
It’s a whole lot of things
When ‘What’s popping’ is inquiring about updates on a topic or asking for Information, all you have to do is say every new thing you know about the topic. If you don’t have anything new to share, you can simply say so.
This response implies that a lot of things are ‘popping’. In other words, there is a lot of information and news on the topic you are being asked about.
See for yourself
‘What’s popping’ may be asking about updates or just Information about something or happening.
You can only say what you know. Have you ever been in a situation where you can’t say or explain something well enough? If you feel like the person may have a better understanding of the situation by seeing, you can show him or her.
This response directly tells the person to look at the answer to his or her question. In other words, the Information you are to share must be available for the person to check.
You can’t give this response if the answer you are giving cannot be seen at that moment.
Nothing that concerns us really
As we’ve discussed earlier, ‘What’s popping’ can be used to ask ‘What’s happening’. Also, it doesn’t necessarily refer to what’s happening to you.
With a nod towards an event or a commotion, your friend can ask ‘What’s popping’. You are expected to tell him or her what is happening at the spot he or she is nodding towards.
You can give this response if the situation is not your business and not your friend’s. This response implies that you know what is happening but you also know it should not concern either of you.
I should be asking you
When ‘What’s popping’ is referring to a person’s welfare, the question may be coming to you because you look good or bad. It may also not be for this reason but you can throw the question back for this reason.
If your friend asks you this question and you think he/she looks really good or bad, you can throw the question back by giving this response.
You may also give your reason by stating how good or bad the person looks.
‘What’s popping’ may also be asking for information. You can give this response if you think he or she is more likely to have information than you are.
Are you asking me?
This rhetorical question is what we say when we are being asked a question that we are not expecting to be asked.
This response implies that you don’t think you should be asked that question.
You can give this response if what you are being asked about is not your business and you are not supposed to know.
You can also give this response if it’s something the person is supposed to already know about.
Nothing is popping. I’m staying home today
‘What’s popping’ may mean ‘What is going on’, that is it may refer to what is happening at a moment or what you are planning to do.
When the question is asked often by your friend, you can get used to what he or she means by this statement.
The question may be referring to your plans for the day. You can give this response to imply that you don’t plan to go out.
You can also throw the question back to know what he or she plans to do.
Oh. There is so much to talk about
In another context, ‘What’s popping’ may be translated as ‘How have you been’, that is it can ask about what has been happening with you so far.
You will be sure of this if the question is coming from someone you haven’t seen in a long time.
By giving this response, you are implying that you have a lot of stories to tell him or her. You are directly promising to give him or her an update on the major things you have been going through.
You can also ask him or her the same question to hear what he or she also has been up to.
There is nothing, as we speak
When the person speaking is asking for an update on a topic, you can give this response if you have none.
This response implies that you don’t have any new information to share at the moment of speaking.
This is the same as the example mentioned in the introduction, ‘Nothing yet’. Both statements mean the same thing.
You don’t know?
‘What’s popping’ may be used to ask ‘What is happening’, as mentioned earlier. It may be an issue that concerns and it may be one that doesn’t.
It may also be an issue that you don’t know about or one that you expect everyone including your friend to know about.
When you ask this rhetorical question as a response, you are showing your surprise towards the question you have just been asked.
In other words, you expect the person to be aware of the answer to that question already. You may have to explain why you think this though.
It’s nothing so important. Not a big deal
As we have discussed briefly earlier, a person may ask this question because of how you look.
The person may ask the question because you look good. He or she may also ask because you look bad.
From his or her statements or expressions, you should be able to guess which of these two is in the mind of the speaker.
The question would be asking what is going on with you that warrants the smile or the frown.
This response is more suitable if you are feeling a bit down. It implies that you are not going through so many challenges and he or she doesn’t have to worry.
The question may also be asked if you have called the person over. He or she may think there is an urgency and this response will relieve him or her.
Where have you been, man?
You can ask this question as a response if the speaker is asking about something that you expect everyone to know. There is a possibility that he or she may not have been around for a while.
‘What’s popping’ may also come from someone you haven’t seen in a long time as a question for catching up. You can respond by asking where he or she has been.
Oh. You missed it
When a person asks about a ruckus, you can give this response. You are implying that he or she should have been there.
You are also implying that the situation is over. In other words, the person would have found it very fascinating to be there when it was still happening.
I wish you saw it yourself
This response is similar to the one stated earlier. You can say this if the person is asking about a ruckus or a happening.
This response implies that the happening is over and you would have been happier if the person had seen the happening, rather than you having to explain it to him or her.
I was going to ask you that. I don’t know
When a person asks about a happening or a topic, your response always depends on whether you have the answer or not. You can give this response if you don’t have the answer.
This response directly states that you were expecting the speaker to know something and you were going to ask since you don’t know anything yet.
It’s just me and boredom
As stated from the onset, ‘What’s popping’ can be used to ask ‘What’s up’, that is your welfare.
You can simply say how you are feeling at the moment of this question. You may also give this response.
This response implies that you are feeling bored and alone.
Why do you care? Ignore it
When your friend is asking about an happening or a topic, you can respond with this statement only if it really isn’t his or her business.
It may be something that doesn’t concern either of you. It also may just be your business which you don’t need him or her to know about.
I was waiting for you
If ‘What’s popping’ is used to ask about your plan for the day, you can state your plans or throw the answer back.
This response implies that you don’t have plans but you are waiting for the speaker so you both can decide together.