Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| salir con alguien | /saliɾ kon alɡjen/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| noviazgo | /noˈbjaθɡo/ /noˈbjasɡo/ |
masculine |
| salir en citas | /saliɾ en θitas/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /saliɾ en sitas/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| andar con alguien | /andaɾ kon alɡjen/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
While salir con alguien describes the active process of dating, noviazgo is used to refer to the formal period or state of being in a relationship.
Which one should you use?
Salir con alguien describes the act of dating, whereas noviazgo refers to the formal state of being in a relationship. In more colloquial speech, you might hear andar con alguien to mean someone is dating or seeing someone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more informal contexts, you can use andar con alguien or estar con alguien.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some South American countries, particularly Chile, the term pololear is used when talking about dating.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using tener una cita to describe the ongoing process of dating. In Spanish, una cita typically refers to a single specific appointment or a single romantic date.
Did you know?
- While salir means 'to go out' or 'to date', it evolved from the Latin salīre, which meant 'to jump'.
- In some traditional contexts, a novio or novia was not just someone you were dating, but specifically a fiancé promised in marriage.
- The Chilean term pololear comes from pololo, a word that is used almost exclusively in Chile and is not understood in most other Spanish speaking countries.
Examples in context
- Juan y María salen juntos.Juan and María are dating.
- Voy a tener una cita con Laura mañana.I'm going to have a date with Laura tomorrow.
- Miguel y Carmen están saliendo desde hace seis meses.Miguel and Carmen have been dating for six months.
- Lucía anda con Alejandro.Lucía is dating Alejandro.
- Roberto está con María.Roberto is dating María.
- Él quiere salir con alguien de su clase.He wants to date someone from his class.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their love lives.
- AlejandroMaría, ¿estás salir con alguien últimamente?María, are you dating someone lately?
- MaríaNo, Alejandro, no tengo tiempo para eso.No, Alejandro, I don't have time for that.
- AlejandroEs divertido salir con alguien nuevo.It's fun dating someone new.
- MaríaTienes razón, quizá lo intente pronto.You're right, maybe I'll try it soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dating” translations and entries noviazgo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alguien, andar, con, en, noviazgo, salir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
