How to Invite Someone Out

HOW TO INVITE SOMEONE OUT

 
Obviously you could go for the standard question ‘Would you like to go to the cinema tonight?’. Nothing wrong with it, but how about trying one of these alternatives which sound a bit more ‘informal’?

• FANCY+ING: do you fancy going to the cinema tonight?
• FANCY + NOUN: (do you) fancy a movie tonight?
• FEEL LIKE + ING: do you feel like going to the cinema tonight?
• FEEL LIKE+ NOUN: do you feel like a movie tonight?
• TO BE UP FOR + ING: are you up for going to the cinema tonight?
• TO BE UP FOR + NOUN: are you up for a movie tonight?
• WANNA + INFINITIVE (WITHOUT TO): wanna go the the cinema tonight?

HOW TO REFUSE

A good way to start is always “I’d love to but..” what could come after this ‘but’? Well, what are your reasons?

1. if you’re tired you could say “I’d love to but I’m shattered / knackered / dead (these are all synonyms of being exhausted), work was quite full-on (=intense) today“.
2. if you’re busy you could say “I’d love to but I’m already booked (=use this if you want to sound snobby) / I can’t make it / it’s not going to happen as I’m meeting up with this other guy tonight “
3. if you’re sad you could say “I’d love to but I’m not in the mood / I don’t feel like it / I’m not really up for it”
4. if you feel ill you could say ”I’d love to but I’m feeling a bit under the weather “

HOW TO TAKE YOUR TIME

• “I’m not sure, I’ll give you a ring / bell later” >> to give someone a ring or bell = to phone someone
• “Sorry I’m out and about now, can I call you back?” >> to be out and about = to be out of the house busy doing stuff
• “Sorry I’m tied up now, can you ring me back?” >> to be tied up = to be busy doing something
• “Not sure, I’ll text you later”

HOW TO SHOW ENTHUSIASM

• “Yeah, I’m up for it!” or even “Yeah, I’m 100% up for it!”
• “That’s a plan!”
• “I was going to suggest the same thing!”

HOW NOT TO SHOW ENTHUSIASM

• “Yeah..whatever..I’ll come along”
• “I’m not really into cinema but I don’t mind coming if you wanna go” >> not to mind (doing) something = something doesn’t get me excited but I’m not totally against it.
• “That sounds like the most terrible idea ever” >> superlative + ever = ‘ever’ makes the superlative sounds even stronger: “the most terrible idea I’ve ever heard in my life or that anyone has ever heard“

Informal English: How to Invite Someone Out | Teach Taught Taught