Inviting Informally

So now that we’ve done the first two steps of our phone call situation where we’re going to invite a friend we can actually get to the phrases that we can use to invite.

Now I want to avoid using very fake sounding phrases like I would like to invite you to go out to dinner with me.

Don’t don’t do that unless you’re talking to the Queen of England.

Nobody actually speaks that way.

It’s way too formal.

So we need to look at some informal ways to do an invitation.

Informal invitations.

OK so how can we do it naturally.

Remember we’re inviting someone to go and eat something with us.

So let’s do this.

Let’s let’s.

Let’s look at a couple of phrases.

I was thinking this is very common.

I was thinking I was thinking now this is a very common phrase to use in invitations because it makes it feel like there’s not too much pressure on you.

It feels like I’m planning to do this.

And if you decide not to go it’s no big deal.

I don’t want to put too much pressure on you.

If I say please please have lunch with me.

We know what’s wrong with you.

It’s a little too.

Too much pressure.

So we want to we want to be kind of relaxed and this is the right.

This is the right phrase.

I was thinking of going to grab a bite to eat to grab.

Which is a very common word in English used which actually means this grab.

But actually it can often mean get it can often mean get and it can often mean by grab a bite.

This is a common phrase a bite to eat I eat.

OK.

I was thinking of going to grab a bite to eat going to grab a sandwich going to grab a cup of coffee going to grab a hamburger.

Doesn’t mean you’re going to grab it and run.

It just means you’re going to get that.

It’s a it’s a very relaxed and casual way to say it.

OK.

That’s a common phrase probably I don’t know if it’s number one but up there with one of the most common or maybe it’s a group.

Me and some friends.

This is another way to say this is happening.

So if you decide not to go it’s not a big deal in American culture.

It’s important not to pressure people too much if you say I really really really need you to be there.

That will only be in a few situations.

It’s pretty rare.

Generally we want to give people the feeling of freedom if you decide not to go it’s OK.

I’d like you to be there but it’s OK if you don’t if you don’t go.

Me and some friends maybe you’ve learned some friends and I.

But we can also say me and some friends.

Many people use it.

Are are going out tonight.

Now usually going out this phrase going out that’s an OH YOU’LL GET USED TO MY HANDWRITING going out tonight.

That means having drinks probably maybe going to a bar or a nightclub.

It generally means you’re going to have a beer or alcohol or what we call drinks.

If somebody says Would you like to get a drink.

It doesn’t mean let’s go have some milk.

It would be funny.

It means let’s get some alcohol.

So me and some friends are going out tonight.

Would you Would you.

Now this is this is very polite but still natural.

Would you care care or like to come along.

Do you care to come along.

Would you like to come along.

Do you want to come along is also OK.

Do you want to come along.

Would you like to come along.

Would you care to come along.

Very common all of them.

Again this is a way to invite someone to do something that you’re already going to do anyway.

OK.

Let’s look at some other phrases.

I’m starving.

I’m starving.

That means dying from hunger.

Often when we speak in English we we exaggerate a little we say a little bit more than we actually mean.

So if someone says I’m starving are they actually starving.

Are they actually dying from hunger.

New new.

But we say it as a way to make what we are saying a little bit stronger.

It’s a common way to do it.

If somebody says I’m dying or oh it’s killing me my head is killing me.

They’re not actually dying their head is not actually killing them.

It’s a way to express something is very strong it’s very painful it’s killing me.

I’m so hungry I’m starving.

It’s common very common.

I’m starving.

I’m starving.

Want to want to go get something to eat.

Want to go get something to eat and instead of saying want to go get something to eat.

We often use to or to make it sound more natural more smooth want to go get something to eat and instead of saying want to we might say one to one to want to is the same as saying one when we’re speaking naturally we’ll often say one to one to go get.

Now you might have heard that go and get shouldn’t be together but actually in some cases it’s common.

We’re gonna go there and then we’re going to get it.

We could say Go get we could say go grab you want to go grab something to eat you want to go grab a coffee you want to go grab a sandwich or a burger.

Very common.

Want to go get something to eat.

I’m starving.

I’m starving.

I’m starving.

Let’s go get something to eat.

Want to go get something to eat.

OK.

All very common.

Now I want to just mentioned one thing we can’t say want to join me after this.

I’m starving.

Want to join me because you didn’t say what thing you’re going to do in the first so when we said I’m going to go grab something I’m going to go grab lunch I’m going to go grab something to eat.

Want to join me.

Want to join me or want to join me because I said what I’m going to do then I can say Join me.

But if I say I’m starving then it doesn’t make sense to say do you want to come along.

Do you want to join me because I didn’t say what I’m doing.

I just said how I feel.

So now I should say want to go get something to eat.

Now I have to make the request first I say what I feel and then I ask you if you want to do what I would like to do with me.

Now here’s another one that’s really common when we want to make somebody feel that they can say yes or no.

And it’s OK because I’m going to do it anyway.

So if I say I’m about to.

If somebody says I’m about to that means it’s going to happen very soon.

This is a way of saying something will be soon you wouldn’t say about two if it’s maybe in a year.

I’m about to get a job.

That doesn’t mean in a year that means maybe this week it’s very soon OK.

I’m about to I’m about to have dinner and we could.

Of course we could also say we could add go if you want to say go have dinner.

About to have dinner.

I’m about to go have dinner fun.

I’m about to have dinner then.

Hungry Hungry.

It means are you hungry but often native English speakers instead of saying are you will cancel are you.

Or is it in many situations and just say one word.

But you have to say it with the right tone.

For example we might say are you ready.

Now notice my voice goes Dent dent into Dent and then the.

Are you ready.

But often we’ll just cancel are you.

Instead we’ll say ready.

Ready.

But if you say ready that means I am ready because of the tone.

Are you ready.

I am ready.

Ready.

Ready.

But for hungry we don’t usually say hungry.

Sounds a little weird.

Hungry.

Yes.

Is the right answer.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Starving.

Not so much.

Hungry.

Yes.

It’s very common.

Hungry.

Yes.

Now this means.

Do you want to eat with me even though I didn’t exactly say do you want to eat with me.

It’s suggested by me being here asking you if I just say hungry and you say yes.

Then I said OK let’s go right now and you sound.

No no no no no no no.

I don’t want to eat with you.

I’m hungry.

I have my food right here.

That would be so so rude and very very bad.

If you say yes to hungry what you’re really saying yes to is going with me to eat.

If I say I’m starving I’m about to go have dinner.

Hungry.

And you say yeah it means yes.

And I would like to go eat with you.

It doesn’t mean yes I’m hungry but I’m going to eat by myself.

No no no.

Saying you’re hungry is although you’re not saying it directly is saying yes to going with me.

So that’s important to keep in mind.

Sometimes when we say something what we really mean is underneath.

Right.

It’s suggested based on the situation based on what’s happening care for a cup of coffee.

Care for what does that mean here.

Well actually we’re not saying it but really there is a would you would you care for is the same as saying Would you like if I have some chocolate here and I say Would you like a piece of chocolate then you can say Oh yes please I would like a piece of chocolate.

That’s a common thing to say but I could just say care for a piece of chocolate.

Care for a piece of chocolate and you have to know in your mind that what I’m saying is would you care for a piece of chocolate.

I can’t say like a piece of chocolate I can say.

Would you like a piece of chocolate.

Cannot say like a piece of chocolate.

Care for a piece of chocolate.

Yes I can say that.

That’s very common means I would like to know if you would like that.

But because it’s spoken English we often cancel Would you just say care for very common now.

It could mean that I have a cup of coffee right here and I give it to you.

Probably not though.

What does it probably mean.

It probably means I would like you to go with me to get some coffee together.

So you’ll stand up from your desk if we’re maybe we’re co-workers.

Hey hey.

Care for a cup of coffee.

Yeah sure.

Stand up.

Go.

That’s a way of saying.

Would you like to go with me to get a cup of coffee.

Again it can be used if it’s something that I have right here and I want to know if you want that thing then I can also say care for a care for a whatever this is.

You can say Oh yeah sure.

Yeah sure.

Yeah.

Sure.

If you want to agree right away just say yeah great.

Yes.

Sure sounds good.

Sounds great sometimes of course it’s like I can’t believe you didn’t ask me before.

Of course means absolutely yes.

In fact we can say absolutely.

Absolutely.

Absolutely means absolutely yes.

Very strong.

Yes.

Right.

Definitely.

We can say definitely as well.

There are lots of different ways to agree and say yes.

Sounds good.

Yes sure.

These are all very very common in this sort of situation and lots of other situations very common ways to agree to things and say yes to questions.

Absolutely.

Yes of course.

Definitely.

Sure.