go out — have a romantic relationship
phrasal verbC1IELTS 7+neutralcommon
To be in a romantic relationship with someone; to date someone regularly.
Say it like a native
Textbook They have been in a romantic relationship for two years.
Native They've been going out for two years.
'Go out (with)' is how people actually describe dating. The formal version sounds like a form.
Pattern: go out (with someone)
In use
- I heard that Anna and Mark are going out now.relationships
- Many young people start going out with someone in their late teens, which can be an important part of their social development.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ She's going out her boyfriend.
✓ She's going out with her boyfriend.
'Go out WITH someone' — don't drop 'with'.
Common collocations
go out with— with him, together, for years, since school
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B1 sense ('leave home socially'), this sense refers specifically to being in a romantic relationship, not just going somewhere together.
Related
- go out (leave home socially) — 'go out' also has the more basic meaning 'leave home socially'; this is the advanced sense.