sortir
/sɔʁ.tiʁ/
To go out in French is sortir.
sortir is used to describe leaving one's abode to go to public places. It is the standard term used when you are going out socially, such as going to a bar or a party. If you add the preposition avec (sortir avec quelqu'un), the phrase can specifically imply that you are dating someone.
Meaning: to leave one's abode to go to public places (verb)
Which one should you use?
sortir can mean to leave a room or a building, but it is also the standard way to express the idea of going out for social activities.
How does it change in a sentence?
In compound tenses like the passé composé, the verb sortir uses the auxiliary verb être.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɔʁ.tiʁ/
Did you know?
- A French person might say sortir de ses gonds to describe someone losing their temper, which is a colorful way of saying they have 'gone out of their hinges'.
- The Latin root of sortir is linked to the idea of 'emerging' or 'rising up', which is a much more physical and dramatic origin than the modern sense of 'going out' for fun.
- The verb sortir is an 'unpredictable' verb in French because it can switch its auxiliary verb from être to avoir depending on whether there is a direct object.
Examples in context
- Il a dû sortir.He had to go out.This sentence is useful for showing how to use sortir in a past tense context.Tatoeba #8900361 by Julien_PDC, translation #13085489 by rul
- Je l'ai vu sortir.I saw him go out.This sentence is useful for showing the verb sortir after another verb.Tatoeba #638207 by qdii, translation #260083 by CK
- On les a vus sortir.They were seen to go out.This sentence is useful for showing how to use sortir with a plural subject.Tatoeba #1123900 by sacredceltic, translation #249242 by CK
- Je vais sortirI am going out
- On va en ville ce soirWe are going out tonight
- Pouvez-vous sortir ce soir ?Can you go out tonight?
- Malheureusement, je ne peux pas sortir ce soir. J'ai une réunion importante.Unfortunately, I can't go out tonight. I have an important meeting.
- Tu veux sortir ce soir ?Do you want to go out tonight?
- Oui, allons en ville !Yes, let's go to town!
- 241 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are talking in their living room in the evening.
- GabrielTu veux sortir ce soir ?Do you want to go out tonight?
- ChloéOui, je veux bien sortir avec toi.Yes, I would like to go out with you.
- GabrielOn sort au restaurant ?Shall we go out to a restaurant?
- ChloéBonne idée, Gabriel.Good idea, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go out” translations and entries sortir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sortir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
