hey guys, sorry for the small and relatively easy phrase but just thought it would be an easy way to sort it out.

if someone was asked "Was machen die Maenner?" what does that actually mean?
i can tell literally but doesn't make sense.

cheers in advance.

Translation could be:
How is your husband/boyfriend/son (the male members of your family)?
How are they...
What are they up to ...
What are they doing ...

From the use of "Maenner" (plural), Im assuming that you have at least two male family members...

so basically "how are the men?"?

cheers

oh wait...so only "intimate/close" male members?

it doesnt say that - I just assumed ...
You should know best, whom the enquirer is refering to.

My brother and his wife had a baby girl in June last year, so I tend to ask him, "Wia geht's deine Weiba?" (Bavarian, not German!). Meaning his wife and child. I assume your question is similar.

was machen die - what are they doing?
maenner - men

So, It simply means "what are those men doing?"

Edit : The above translation is literal. It indeed depends on the situ. According to your context, maybe that means "What are they doing at the moment?" or casually "what are they upto?"

That would be "jene Männer".