¿quieres salir?
The English phrase "wanna go outside?" is translated into Spanish as ¿quieres salir?
This phrase is a casual invitation to leave a building or a room to go outdoors. You can also use ¿quieres ir afuera? to specifically emphasize the destination of being outdoors.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb salir means "to go out" or "to leave", which is why it is used to express the idea of going outside.
Which one should you use?
While ¿quieres salir? is a common way to say "Do you want to go out?", you can use ¿quieres salir afuera? or ¿quieres ir afuera? to specifically express the idea of going "outside". Additionally, ¿Te gustaría salir? is a way to say "Would you like to go out?"
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the informal phrases, it is common to drop the subject pronoun tú.
When do people say it?
If you receive this invitation, a natural way to accept is to say Sí, vamos. To decline the invitation, you can say No, prefiero quedarme.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the same verb used to ask someone to go outside, salir, is used to describe the sun rising, as in el sol sale.
- While salir is used for going outside, it also functions as a way to ask someone on a date, implying a romantic intent rather than a casual stroll.
- The verb salir is a direct relative of the English word 'sally', as in a 'sally port' or 'to sally forth' on an adventure.
Examples in context
- ¿Les gustaría salir afuera?Would you like to go outside?
- Hace buen tiempo, ¿quieres salir?The weather is nice, do you want to go outside?
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are studying inside a library.
- AlejandroEstoy cansado, ¿quieres salir?I'm tired, do you want to go outside?
- ElenaSí, me vendría bien un descanso.Yes, I could use a break.
- AlejandroPodemos caminar por el jardín.We can walk through the garden.
- ElenaPerfecto, vamos ahora.Perfect, let's go now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
