stay in
stay in · stayed · staying
It’s raining, so let’s stay in and watch a film.
Stay in meanings and examples
One meaning, each with its own CEFR level from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries and the Cambridge Dictionary.
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1
Stay at home and not go out
stay in
- It’s raining, so let’s stay in and watch a film.
- I’m tired. I’m staying in tonight.
- Did you stay in all weekend?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use stay in 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 stay in separable?
Stay in has no object: I stayed in last night. If you name a place, it is no longer the phrasal verb: stay in a hotel just means sleep there.
A night in is a quiet evening at home: We had a night in. Stay in touch is a different phrase; it means keep talking to someone.
Verb tenses for stay in
| Present | I stay in · she stays in |
|---|---|
| Past | stayed in |
| Present perfect | have stayed in |
| -ing form | staying in |
Common mistakes with stay in
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I stayed in my home all day.
Right: I stayed in all day.
Stay in already means at home. Or say I stayed at home.
Wrong: Let’s stay inside in tonight.
Right: Let’s stay in tonight.
Stay in already means inside. Use one or the other.
Wrong: I stay in yesterday because I was ill.
Right: I stayed in yesterday because I was ill.
For the past, use stayed.
Synonyms and opposites of stay in
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- stay at homethe same; stay in is shorter and informal
- stay indoorsnot go outside, maybe because of weather
- have a night inspend a relaxed evening at home
Stay in quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1It’s too cold to go anywhere. I’m going to ___ tonight.
Stay in means stay at home.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Stay in needs nothing after it.
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3A friend asks, “Going out tonight?” You answer, “No, I’m staying in.” What will you do?
Stay in means stay at home.
More phrasal verbs with stay
3 phrasal verbs start with stay. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Stay in FAQ
Questions people ask about stay in.
Stay in vs stay at home: what is the difference?
They mean the same. Stay in is shorter and common in everyday talk. Stay at home is clearer for learners and in writing.
Stay in vs stay out: what is the difference?
Stay in means stay at home. Stay out means stay away from home, often until late.
What does stay in touch mean?
It is a different phrase. It means keep calling or messaging someone. Let’s stay in touch after the course.
Use stay in 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.