Japanese with Manga

Why are you silent with 〜てんだ

Manga panel from 三ツ星カラーズ showing example of Why are you silent with 〜てんだ.
三ツ星カラーズ » Volume 6 » Page 23

Being the first to arrive at the clubhouse after school, Yui decides to change her hairstyle and see how long it takes the others to notice when they arrive. Sacchan arrives next and starts up a conversation. Yui simply sits there without saying anything.

さっちゃん:
「なんで(だま)てんだ!」
“Why are you being silent!”
Literal: “Why are you staying silent!”

Key Points

1(だま)ってんだ is casual (だま)っているんだ
  • The spoken contraction compresses (だま)っているんだ into (だま)ってんだ.
2なんで asks for the reason behind the behavior
  • Sacchan is not asking whether Yui is silent; she can see that already.
  • The question challenges the reason for the silence.
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