Ask out meaning
Ask out means to invite someone to go somewhere with you, usually as a date.
ask somebody out
ask out · asked · asking
He finally asked her out after three months of chatting.
Ask out meanings and examples
One meaning, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Invite someone to go somewhere with you, usually as a date
ask somebody out
- He finally asked her out after three months of chatting.
- Did you ask Sam out for coffee or dinner?
- I wanted to ask him out, but I was too nervous.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use ask out in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is ask out separable?
Ask out is separable, and the person almost always goes in the middle: ask Maria out, ask her out. Ask out Maria is possible but rare, and ask out her is wrong.
To say where, add for or to after out: She asked me out for a drink. He asked her out to the cinema.
Verb tenses for ask out
| Present | I ask out · she asks out |
|---|---|
| Past | asked out |
| Present perfect | have asked out |
| -ing form | asking out |
Common mistakes with ask out
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I want to ask out her this weekend.
Right: I want to ask her out this weekend.
A pronoun goes between ask and out.
Wrong: He asked me out to dinner with him.
Right: He asked me out to dinner.
Ask out already means with you, so with him is extra.
Wrong: She asked me to go out of the house for a date.
Right: She asked me out on a date.
Go out of means leave a place; for a date, say ask out.
Synonyms and opposites of ask out
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- invite outmore general, for friends or family as well
- hang outspend relaxed time together, not always a date
- go out withbe in a relationship with someone, after the asking
Opposite
- turn someone downsay no when someone asks you out
Ask out quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1Tom likes Ana a lot. He wants to ___ to the cinema.
Ask someone out means invite them on a date.
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2Choose the right sentence.
The pronoun goes in the middle, and with him is not needed.
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3“I asked Leo out, but he said he’s seeing someone.” What happened?
She asked him on a date, and he refused because he has a partner.
Find your level
The phrasal verbs test adapts as you answer, from A2 to C1, and shows which ones you miss.
- get outA2leave a car, a room or a building
- take outA2remove something from a bag, a box, a pocket or a place
- put outB1stop a fire, a cigarette or a light from burning or shining
- go outA1leave your home to do something fun
- come outB1become available to buy, watch or read, like a book or film
- look outB1be careful, because something bad may happen
- give outB1give something to each of a number of people
- turn outB2happen or end in a particular way
Ask out FAQ
Questions people ask about ask out.
What is the difference between ask out and ask over?
Ask someone out means invite them to go somewhere with you, often a date. Ask someone over means invite them to your home: We asked the neighbours over for tea.
Can ask out mean a work dinner?
Usually not. Most people hear romance in ask out. For work, say invite: My manager invited me to lunch.
How do you ask someone out?
Keep it simple and clear: Would you like to get a coffee with me on Saturday? A clear time and place makes it easy to say yes or no.
Use ask out in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.