¿quieres salir?
In Spanish, the phrase for 'want to hang out' can be expressed in several ways depending on the context, but the most common default is ¿quieres salir?
This phrase is used to invite someone to spend time together socially.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb salir used in ¿quieres salir? literally means 'to go out' or 'to leave'.
Which one should you use?
While the English 'hang out' can imply staying inside a house, ¿quieres salir? specifically implies leaving a location to go somewhere else. If you want to express the concept of 'hanging out' or 'passing the time' without necessarily leaving a location, you can use ¿Quieres pasar el rato?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To invite a friend or peer, use the informal ¿Quieres salir? or ¿Te apetece quedar? If you need to be formal or polite, you can use the form ¿Quiere salir? or ¿Le gustaría quedar?
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the verb quedar is a very common way to suggest meeting up or hanging out, as seen in the phrase ¿Quieres quedar?
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the verb salir can also mean 'to date' someone, so ¿quieres salir conmigo? might sound like a romantic proposal rather than a casual request to hang out.
- The verb salir shares a root with the word saltar meaning 'to jump'. In early Latin, the idea of 'leaving' a place was conceptually linked to 'leaping' out of it.
- Using ¿Te apetece quedar? is a very natural way to ask someone to hang out in Spain. The verb apetecer describes a physical craving or desire, similar to 'fancying' something in English.
Examples in context
- ¡Buenas tardes! ¿Le gustaría quedar para tomar un café?Good afternoon! Would you like to meet up to have a coffee?
- ¡Hola! ¿Quieres salir a dar un paseo?Hi! Do you want to go out for a walk?
- ¿Te apetece quedar en mi casa y ver una película?Do you fancy hanging out at my house and watching a movie?
Example conversation
Two friends are talking on the phone.
- LucíaHola Mateo, ¿quieres salir?Hi Mateo, do you want to hang out?
- MateoSí, me encantaría. ¿A dónde vamos?Yes, I'd love to. Where are we going?
- LucíaPodemos ir al cine o al parque.We could go to the cinema or the park.
- MateoEl parque suena bien, nos vemos allí.The park sounds good, see you there.
