1.
to leave a place, often to have fun
“Let's go out tonight.”
“I went out with friends.”
“She doesn't go out much.”
Synonyms: to leave, to exit
Phrasal verb
What does go out mean?
Meaning: to leave home, often to have fun
B1
This page for:
Quick answer
Go out = to leave the house (to have fun, to meet friends). Let's go out tonight! It can also mean to be in a relationship with someone. It takes no object. It is different from come out (towards the speaker).
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to be in a relationship with someone
common“They've been going out for 2 years.”
“Are you going out with him?”
Synonyms: to date
3.
to stop shining or burning (a light, a fire)
common“The lights went out.”
“The fire went out.”
Word order
Intransitive (no object)
This phrasal verb does not take an object.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- go out
- Past Simple:
- went out
- Past participle:
- gone out
- -ing form:
- going out
Common mistakes to avoid
Go out with someone = to be a couple
With with + a person, it often means to be a couple: I'm going out with Sarah = Sarah is my girlfriend. To talk about an evening with friends, say I'm going out with my friends tonight: the context shows the difference.
Irregular verb: went / gone
Go → went → gone. Past Simple: I went out. Present Perfect: I have gone out. Never I goed out ❌.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: go out
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Go out: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
Understanding a rule is only the first step. On PLAY, you use it in real situations, at your own pace, until it becomes automatic.
Practise “go out” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersGo out: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
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English contestGo out: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does go out mean?+
Go out has three main meanings: (1) to leave the house, often to have fun; (2) to be in a relationship with someone (with with); (3) to stop burning or shining (a light, a fire).
What does go out with someone mean?+
It means to be someone's boyfriend or girlfriend. I'm going out with Tom = Tom and I are a couple. To date someone means the same, and it is more common in American English.
What is the difference between go out and come out?+
Go out = to leave a place, moving away from the speaker. Come out = to leave a place, moving towards the speaker. Go out can also mean to go out and have fun. Come out can also mean that a film or a book appears for the first time.
What is the past simple of go out?+
Went out. Go is irregular: go → went → gone. We went out for dinner.
What does “let's go out” mean?+
It is an invitation to leave the house and do something fun together. It is very common. Let's go out for a hot chocolate / Let's go out tonight.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/go-out
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.