Is it perfectly natural to ask someone what is your mood? when someone wants to know how the person is feeling. If it is not natural at all, as I suspect, then what would they ask instead?
asked Nov 23, 2019 at 14:22
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If you have a friend with a chronic mood disorder, you might ask “How is your mood today?” … as if asking about blood pressure or the like.– Anton SherwoodCommented Nov 24, 2019 at 4:18
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2 Answers
It is not natural to ask "What is your mood?".
A neutral way to ask is: How are you feeling?
To confirm that someone is happy: Are you feeling happy/good?
If you suspect that a person might not be well or happy: Are you feeling okay?
Or just: Are you okay/alright?
The latter are most common as a way of checking whether someone who looks ill is okay - or whether someone is injured after falling or being involved in a minor accident.
answered Nov 23, 2019 at 14:40
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There are two possible questions here, namely Is this idiomatic English? or Is the question likely to be asked in a certain context (by a reasonable native speaker)?
Which are you asking?
Anyhow you can sidestep either question by rewording the specimen as a request.
Tell me about your mood, if you would.
One problem is that asking questions of the form “What is x?” can be interpreted as asking for definitions.
The habitual aspect may be expressed by an unmarked, non-progressive form.
To avoid such interpretations and others perhaps, one may use How is x + expression of time.
The indication of time isn’t necessary, but it can help to make the sense clearer.
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Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.– ColleenVCommented Nov 23, 2019 at 16:48