¿quieres salir?
The English phrase "do you want to go outside?" can be translated into Spanish as ¿quieres salir?
This phrase is used to ask if someone would like to leave a building or a room to go outdoors.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿quieres salir? is composed of the verb querer (to want) in the second-person singular and salir (to go out/to exit).
Which one should you use?
You might also hear ¿Te gustaría salir afuera? if someone is asking if you would like to go outside or ¿Tienes ganas de salir? which specifically translates to "Do you feel like going out?"
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a single person formally, change quieres to quiere to form ¿quiere salir? If you are asking a group of people if they want to go outside, use the third-person plural form quieren to say ¿quieren salir?
When do people say it?
If someone asks you this question, a common short response is No, no quiero (No, I don't want to).
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if you ask ¿quieres salir? in a romantic context, it is often understood as an invitation to go on a date rather than just a walk outdoors.
- The verb salir is actually a 'cousin' to the English word 'salient', as both stem from the same Latin roots meaning 'to leap' or 'to jump'.
- Depending on the region, salir can be used to mean 'to be' in a specific state, such as saying someone 'came out' to be a liar.
Examples in context
- Juan, ¿quiere salir a disfrutar del aire fresco?Juan, do you want to go outside and enjoy the fresh air?
- ¿Quieres salir a dar una vuelta conmigo esta tarde? Hace buen tiempo.Do you want to go out for a walk with me this afternoon? The weather is nice.
- ¿Quieres salir a caminar?Do you want to go outside to walk?
- Hace buen tiempo, ¿quieres salir?The weather is nice, do you want to go outside?
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are sitting in a quiet cafe.
- DanielLucía, ¿quieres salir?Lucía, do you want to go outside?
- LucíaSí, quiero tomar un poco de aire.Yes, I want to get some fresh air.
- DanielPerfecto, vamos a la terraza.Perfect, let's go to the terrace.
- LucíaMe parece una buena idea.That sounds like a good idea to me.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
