To invite someone on a date or to a social outing, typically in a romantic context.
To ask someone if they want to go somewhere with you because you like them.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To invite someone to go on a romantic date.
"He finally worked up the courage to ask her out after months of admiring her from afar."
I asked her out and she said no.
— Common conversational usage, widely attested in popular media
To invite someone (not necessarily romantically) to go out somewhere, such as for a meal or drinks.
"The whole team was asked out for celebratory drinks after the project launch."
To ask someone to go out (of a place or together to an outside location).
To ask someone if they want to go somewhere with you because you like them.
Almost always used in romantic contexts. The object (the person being invited) goes between 'ask' and 'out' or after 'out': 'ask her out' or 'ask out the new colleague'. Common in both American and British English. The phrase 'ask out on a date' is a frequent full form.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "ask out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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