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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

To or for dinner

Out to dinner.
Out for dinner.

Please tell me which one?
  

Top answer

Hi The most ordinary sense is with: - We are going out for dinner If you ran a shop that closed between, say, 5 pm and 6 pm, you could put up a sign 'Out to Dinner'. However, 'Out to dinner' sounds close to 'Out to lunch' which has various slang meanings in English, so I would go with '.. ' Dave

— Dave_anon

  • Hi The most ordinary sense is with: - We are going out for dinner If you ran a shop that closed between, say, 5 pm and 6 pm, you could put up a sign 'Out to Dinner'.
  • However, 'Out to dinner' sounds close to 'Out to lunch' which has various slang meanings in English, so I would go with '..
  • ' Dave
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17 Answers
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Hi

The most ordinary sense is with:

- We are going out for dinner

If you ran a shop that closed between, say, 5 pm and 6 pm, you could put up a sign 'Out to Dinner'.

However, 'Out to dinner' sounds close to 'Out to lunch' which has various slang meanings in English, so I would go with '.. out for dinner ..'

Dave
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I see, thanks. But it makes sense in example with the sign on the store door.

What about: we are going out to have dinner. Does it work better with .. Have?
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Hi

Yes, 'have' works there too. I'd say it's neither better nor worse

Dave
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It is neither better or worse than which example? I was referring that it is better to use 'have' in this sentence: we are going out to dinner.
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Hi

I think both ways of saying it are good:

- We are going out to dinner

- We are going out to have dinner

Both are good

Dave
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What about 'for'. I thought you said 'for' is better. So you mean that 'for' is better when choosing between these:

Out for dinner; out to dinner.
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Hi

I apologise and you are quite right in spotting that

- We are going out to dinner

- We are going out to have dinner

- We are going out for dinner

I'm happy with all three now. I wouldn't say there is a lot to choose between them

However:

- He is out for lunch

- He is out to lunch

The first is straightforward and r
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So, saying 'out for lunch' alone is better than the use of 'to', in that case.

Also, just curious, it can also be used as a sign, just as when you saud that 'out to lunch' would work as a sign on the store's door.

Is what I have explained correct?
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Hi

That's right. As a saying, it can have more than one meaning but, as a sign, it is very familiar

Dave

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Thank you. Finally, I meant what about 'out for lunch' as a sign. Would that be possible and better that 'out to lunch', as a sign?

Thanks.
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