English Expressions for a Night Out: Fun Phrases to Use with Friends

After a long and tiring week at work, there’s nothing like a fun night out with friends. Whether you’re going out for drinks at your favorite bar or dancing the night away at the hottest club in town, nothing beats great company. And, since your English language learning journey never stops, in this article, we’ll give you some different expressions that might come in handy for a night out with friends.

Why learn different expressions in English?

Part of your English learning journey should include new vocabulary and expressions that are appropriate for various topics and real-life scenarios. Doing so will help you feel more comfortable using English to communicate in everyday situations, no matter who you’re with.

Whether you’re in another country meeting new people or hanging out with English-speaking friends, having a repertoire of useful expressions will make any experience more enjoyable. It can also help you communicate more effectively. After all, when it comes to expressions, we don’t always translate things word for word, or they might have a different meaning. Sometimes, they might not even make any sense at all!

For example, in one of our previous articles, we talked about different expressions related to pets. The expression “horse around“ (horse around) means something totally different from the literal translations of the words that make up the phrase.

It can be a preposition that shows that something or someone is taking an action in a certain direction. However, in this case, it is an infinitive marker.

Horse is a noun, an animal you can ride. However, in this case, it’s used as a verb.

Around is usually a preposition that indicates position. In this expression, it is used as an adverb.

Individually, these words have their own meanings. However, when you put them together, they take on a completely different meaning that doesn’t really have much to do with a literal, word-for-word translation. In English, “horse around“ means to be silly and mischievous.

To understand English idioms and expressions, you need to know the language at a deeper level. This is why learning English expressions for various situations is ideal for your language learning journey. It will also help you sound much more natural when you speak. This can be especially helpful when talking to people whose first language is English.

So, let’s begin. Here are some English expressions that are perfect for a fun night in.

Let’s paint the town red (Let’s paint the town red – literal translation)

Red is an exciting color. However, if an English speaker tells you “Let’s paint the town red“ they don’t mean it literally! That would require an insane amount of red paint (and most likely result in a vandalism fine). In English, this expression is another way of saying let’s have fun. It’s an invitation to have an exciting night, something you say almost as a challenge to leave behind the stress and worries of the week and simply have a good time.

Example: Come on, Isabel, this is your last night as a single woman, and you’re in Vegas! Let’s paint the city red!

Time to hit the dance floor (Time to go hit the dance floor – literal translation)

Serious question: if someone told you it was “Time to hit the dance floor“ … would you really hit the floor where everyone was dancing? No, please! Basically, the time to go to the dance floor and it’s time to dance.

Example: The moment Marco heard his favorite song start playing, he clapped to get his friends’ attention and shouted, “It’s time to hit the dance floor, everyone!”

To have a blast (To have a blast – literal translation)

The expression ““to have a blast“ has nothing to do with any explosions. It simply means to have a lot of fun.

Example: Clara couldn’t wait to see her childhood friends at the restaurant tonight. She knew they were going to have a blast.

Bottoms up (Bottoms up – literal translation)

If you’ve ever been to a party and heard people say “Cheers“ when it’s time for people to toast and have a drink, this will be easy for you. “Bottoms up” is used similarly. It’s almost like a pre-drink ovation, reminding everyone to enjoy and finish their drinks.

Example: When Andrew was sure that all his guests had a drink in their hands, he smiled and said, “Bottoms up!”

Can we get another round? (Can we get another round? – literal translation)

Going our for drinks is better when you do it with friends. When you’re out with a group and everyone has finished their first drink, it’s quite common to want to order another round.. “Can we get another round?” is what you ask the waiter or bartender when you want to order another drink for everyone in your party?

While it can vary depending on your group of friends, for many people, a round of drinks is an order of something to drink for everyone in your group, all paid for by one person. Many groups of friends have a tradition of taking turns buying drinks. It’s a fun way to share the cost of a fun night out. On nights when you’re feeling generous, you can also say, “The next round’s on me“, if you want to treat your friends to a drink.

Example: “Excuse me, sir,” Ella said to the waiter. Can we get another round, please?

There are many more English expressions that are perfect for a night out, but let’s take it one step at a time. Try practicing with these first, then we can work together to add to your collection.

The next time you go out at night with friends, try using these expressions. Have a blast!

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