Translation guide
The English phrase 'go out' covers several distinct meanings: leaving a place, going outdoors, socializing or dating, extinguishing (of fire/light), and more. This guide breaks them down by intended meaning and gives natural Japanese equivalents.
To exit or depart from an indoor location
General verb for leaving a place, going out of a room/building.
I leave the house.
部屋から出てください。
Please leave the room.
To go out (for a specific purpose or errand), often implies leaving home temporarily.
買い物に出かける。
I go out shopping.
Formal expression for going out, leaving one's home or office.
今日は外出しません。
I won't go out today.
To go outside, into the open air, for leisure or activity
Literally 'go outside', used for stepping outdoors.
天気がいいから外に出よう。
The weather is nice, so let's go outside.
To play outside, often used for children.
子供たちは外で遊んでいる。
The children are playing outside.
To go out for entertainment, with friends, or on a romantic date
To go out to have fun, hang out with friends.
友達と遊びに行く。
I'm going out with friends.
To go on a date.
彼女とデートに行く。
I'm going out on a date with my girlfriend.
To go out for drinks.
今夜飲みに行かない？
Wanna go out for drinks tonight?
To be in a relationship, 'go out' with someone steadily.
To stop a fire or light from burning
Intransitive: the fire/light goes out by itself.
ろうそくの火が消えた。
The candle went out.
Transitive: to put out a fire/light intentionally.
火を消してください。
Please put out the fire.
To become unfashionable or outdated
To go out of fashion, become obsolete.
そのスタイルはもう廃れた。
That style has gone out.
To become no longer popular.
このデザインはすぐに流行らなくなるだろう。
This design will go out of style soon.
When the tide moves away from the shore
When a program, message, or publication is released
To be broadcast (TV/radio).
その番組は今夜放送される。
The program goes out tonight.
To be published (magazine, newsletter).
会報は毎月発行される。
The newsletter goes out every month.
To express that one's feelings are with someone in difficulty
Literary: one's heart goes out to someone.
被災者の方々に心が向かう。
My heart goes out to the disaster victims.
English 'go out' for socializing is not directly translated as 出る or 外出する. Use 遊びに行く, 飲みに行く, etc., depending on the activity.
消える is intransitive (the light goes out), 消す is transitive (someone puts it out). Make sure to use the correct one.
彼と付き合っている。
I'm going out with him.