quiero salir contigo
/kjeɾo saliɾ kontiɡo/from spelling rules
To say "I want to date you" in Spanish, use quiero salir contigo.
The phrase quiero salir contigo is used to tell someone that you are romantically interested in them and want to go out with them. In Spanish, the standard way to express the intention of dating someone or being in a romantic relationship is to use the expression salir con alguien.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, quiero salir contigo translates to "I want to go out with you" rather than using a specific verb for "to date".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, Quisiera salir contigo is a popular way to express romantic intentions, translating to "I would like to go out with you".
How do you pronounce it?
/kjeɾo saliɾ kontiɡo/
Did you know?
- The word contigo is a linguistic fossil that contains a redundant 'with' inside it, having evolved from the Latin 'cum tecum', which literally means 'with you with'.
- While salir contigo refers to dating, the word cita is used for the actual 'date' or appointment. This can cause confusion because cita also means a 'citation' in a legal or academic context.
- To move beyond salir to a more serious relationship, speakers often use noviazgo, a noun for the period of being 'novios'. English has no single equivalent word for this specific stage of courtship.
Examples in context
- ¡Hace tiempo que quiero salir contigo! ¿Te gustaría ir a cenar esta noche?I've wanted to go out with you for a while! Would you like to go out for dinner tonight?
- Me gustaría quedar contigo para tomar algo y conocernos mejorI would like to meet up with you to have a drink and get to know each other better
- Quiero salir contigo en serio.I want to date you seriously.
- Te lo digo de verdad, quiero salir contigo.I'm telling you the truth, I want to date you.
- Desde hace tiempo quiero salir contigo.I have wanted to date you for a long time.
Example conversation
Daniel is expressing his feelings to Elena at a cafe.
- DanielElena, quiero salir contigo.Elena, I want to date you.
- Elena¿De verdad me lo dices a mí?Are you really telling me that?
- DanielSí, eres una mujer increíble.Yes, you are an incredible woman.
- ElenaMe parece muy lindo, Daniel.I think that's very sweet, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries contigo, salir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
