je sors
To say "I go out" in French, you say je sors.
The phrase is used to express the act of leaving a building or a room to go outside. The verb sortir itself can mean physically leaving a place, but it is also used to indicate socializing or dating someone, such as in the phrase je sors avec des amis to show an intention to socialize with friends. In informal contexts, you may also hear Je vais dehors to express "I'm going outside".
Which one should you use?
In French, je sors can express both the habitual "I go out" and the continuous "I am going out".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form je sors is the first-person singular present indicative of the verb sortir. The third-person singular present indicative form is il/elle sort. To express the past tense (passé composé), you use the auxiliary être with the past participle: je suis sorti for a masculine subject or je suis sortie for a feminine subject.
Did you know?
- In a romantic context, sortir avec quelqu'un is the standard way to say you are dating that person.
- In French, the verb sortir can be used transitively to mean 'to take something out', such as je sors les poubelles for 'I am taking out the trash'.
- While je sors means 'I go out', adding the word enfin to make je sors enfin is a common way to express a sense of liberation, as if one has been trapped or waiting for a long time.
Examples in context
- Je sors avec Mary presque tous les samedis.I go out with Mary almost every Saturday.This sentence is useful for showing how to use je sors when describing a regular activity with someone.Tatoeba #5660359 by Aiji, translation #2329584 by CK
- Je sors avec ma copine ce soir.I'm going out with my girlfriend tonight.
- Je sors de la maison maintenant.I am leaving the house now.
- Il fait beau, donc je sors.The weather is nice, so I am going out.
Example conversation
Gabriel is in the living room and Léa is by the door.
- GabrielJe sors pour faire une promenade.I am going out for a walk.
- LéaTu pars déjà, Gabriel ?Are you leaving already, Gabriel?
- GabrielOui, je sors vite pour profiter du soleil.Yes, I am going out quickly to enjoy the sun.
- LéaD'accord, rentre vite !Okay, come back soon!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
