salir
/saˈliɾ/
The Spanish verb salir means to leave, to go out or to exit.
salir covers a range of meanings including to leave, to go out or to exit. In a colloquial context, the phrase salir con alguien is used to mean dating or being in a relationship with someone.
Which one should you use?
While salir can mean 'to go out' in the sense of leaving a building, it is also the standard verb used to express 'to go out' in the sense of social leisure or dating.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal contexts, retirarse is a polite and refined option to express leaving a place or taking one's leave.
How does it change in a sentence?
salir is an irregular verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/saˈliɾ/
Did you know?
- If a person sale mal in a photograph it does not mean they left the photo but that they look bad in the image.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries salir is used to describe a result or a total in a mathematical calculation.
- The Romanian word sări meaning 'to jump' is a linguistic relative of the Spanish salir.
Examples in context
- Necesito salir temprano hoy.I need to leave early today.
- Vámonos, ya es hora de irse.Let's go, it's time to leave.
- Me voy, nos vemos mañana.I'm leaving, see you tomorrow.
- Mis amigos parten mañana de viaje.My friends are leaving on a trip tomorrow.
- Voy a salir con mis amigos esta noche.I am going to go out with my friends tonight.
- Tengo que salir ahora mismo.I have to leave right now.
- ¿A qué hora vas a salir de la oficina?What time are you going to leave the office?
- No quiero salir de casa hoy.I don't want to leave the house today.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are talking at home about their plans.
- Javier¿Quieres salir a cenar con nosotros?Do you want to go out to dinner with us?
- ElenaNo, prefiero salir de la ciudad este fin de semana.No, I prefer to leave the city this weekend.
- JavierEntiendo, ¿vas a salir muy tarde?I understand, are you leaving very late?
- ElenaSí, saldré el viernes por la noche.Yes, I will leave on Friday night.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry salir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
