Definition of 'how are you placed?'

[zuma022]

I got this sentence in an email today and I'm confused. What does it mean? I assumed she's asking about where I live but the next question is 'and where are you located?'. By context it should mean what my schedule is like, but I have never heard this expression before.

[Rusty]

That's an unusual question, especially when followed by the second question. My first thought was that it was asked by a non-native speaker of English.

This question could be used to ask what place in line (or queue) someone has been assigned. When I think about team sports, this question could be used to inquire what position someone has or what position they play. It could be posed to seek information about a team's ranking.

But I think I'll stick with my original thought - this question confuses me as much as it confuses you.

[zuma022]

She's a native speaker (her ESL ad says so), but I wonder if she's maybe British or older. I'm glad it's not just me who's confused in any case. :)

[JPablo]

What is the rest of the context? (Before and after...)

I.e., it could mean "¿cuál es tu posición [financiera/social...]

Also Oxford bilingual gives

I’m rather badly placed for time at present = en este momento no dispongo de mucho tiempo

That is, "how are you doing schedule-wise"?

Cambridge-Klett gives this expression:
how are you placed for money? ¿cuál es tu situación económica?

Am I making any sense?

be well-placed to = tener buenas perspectivas para, ocupar una situación idónea para...

[Perikles]

This sounds like a perfectly normal question to me, so presumably just English English. The exact meaning depends on the context, but asks whether you are in a position to do something.

For example, somebody might be organising a charity event and trying to recruit people to help in a variety of ways. They could ask everybody to do whatever they can, stating what function they could have, and when. Generally, how they are placed.

[zuma022]

Interesting, thanks JPablo and Perikles, these explanations make perfect sense. It was about figuring out schedules to find a time to meet up for tutoring.

Learn something new every day! Thanks