I know that it means "What are you listening to?" but I'm curious as to what the 呢 is supposed to do.
2 Answers
呢 is a final particle. It denotes interrogative form in your example sentence. (it has other usages in other context)
You can just use a question mark e.g. "你在听什么？" (what are you listening ) to mark the sentence as a question
"呢" in "你在听什么呢？” asks the question of "what" are you listening to
"嗎" in "你在听什么嗎？” asks the question of "are" you listening to something
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Thanks! One last question: Is the 在 optional? I've heard people use both with and without 在 and I'm wondering if its existence changes anything.– SeanCommented Feb 28, 2019 at 6:26
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1@Seankala 在 functions similar to ~ing in English here. 你听什么呢? = you listen to what? ; 你在听什么呢? = you are listening to what?– Tang Ho ♦Commented Feb 28, 2019 at 6:29
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@TangHo What's the difference between 你听什么 and 你听什么呢 then? Commented Feb 28, 2019 at 22:32
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@Enrico Brasil "你听什么?" sounds blunt ; "你听什么呢?" ends the speech with a softer tone, plus, it stresses the pronoun '什么', make sure people understand you are asking 'what' is being listened to; Not "are you listen to something?"– Tang Ho ♦Commented Feb 28, 2019 at 23:29
Use of 呢 due to presence of interrogative pronoun 什么（similar to 吗 for yes-no questions) quoting e.g. 图解基础汉语语法：
＂呢＂可以用在有疑问代词＂谁＂、＂怎么＂、＂什么＂、＂哪＂等的疑问句中，＂呢＂出现不出现都不影响疑问的表达，＂呢＂有缓和语气的作用。格式：含疑问代词的句子＋（呢）？A：妈妈，你买了点什么（呢）？B：很多东西，你猜猜。A：这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了（呢）？B：我去参加同学的生日晚会了。Attention:如果句中有疑问代词：＂吗＂不能出现在句末，只能用＂呢＂。E.g.✓他是谁呢？✗他是谁吗？✓妈妈，你买了点什么呢？✗妈妈，你买了点什么吗？✓这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了呢？✗这么晚才回来，你到哪儿去了吗？✓你怎么不去呢？✗你怎么不去吗？
