How to Invite Someone to Hang Out

Find out if the person is already in a relationship. This will help you avoid any awkward situations or unnecessary efforts.

• Don’t invite someone out if they are already in a relationship. This not only guarantees they will reject you, but it’s also inappropriate and disrespectful to their partner, and it reflects poorly on your own moral standards.

Be confident, but also be prepared for rejection. Decide beforehand what you will do or say if the person declines. This is crucial when planning to invite a friend out, as it helps prevent damaging the friendship.

• Preparing for rejection will allow you to maintain composure in case their response is "no".
• Even if you're preparing for rejection, don’t let it affect your self-confidence. Instead, build your confidence by accepting the reality that being rejected is not the end of the world.

Find out what they like. This will help you come up with great ideas for your date. If they’re into music, you might find out what genre they enjoy and invite them to a concert. If they love movies, ask them to go to a film screening.

Decide how you want to invite them. If you're too shy to ask in person, consider sending a text message, a Facebook message, or an email.

• Texting is a great solution if you're too shy to invite them face-to-face. That way, you can at least hide your disappointment if they say "no".
• If you’ve just met the person and don’t have their phone number, you’ll need to ask in person, but don’t worry! Asking face-to-face is romantic and totally worth it if they agree to go on a date with you.

Start a conversation. Opening with casual chat will help ease into the invitation and reduce anxiety.

• Send a cute message like "Hey, how’s it going?" If you’re speaking in person, approach them and say hello. Don’t forget to smile and make eye contact – it will show that you’re interested in them.
• Instead of rushing into the invitation, ask what they’ll be doing tomorrow or over the weekend. This gives you a reason to invite them and makes the conversation flow more naturally.

Ask if they want to hang out. You can suggest an activity that you think they might enjoy, based on what you know about them. If you can’t think of any ideas, here are a few suggestions:

• Invite them for coffee or a drink.
• Ask them to go for dinner or lunch.
• Invite them to a party or a dance event.
• Ask them out for ice cream or yogurt.

Let them know they don’t need to feel awkward if they decline. This will help ease any discomfort in the future, especially if you’ve just invited a close friend out and want to continue seeing them regularly. More importantly, this shows the other person that you are confident and mature enough to handle rejection.

Make eye contact and smile at them. This signals to them that you're interested, and creates an opportunity for them to show interest in you as well.

• If they look away or don’t smile back, they may not be interested. However, this could also mean they are too shy to respond, so don’t give up too soon.

Approach them and introduce yourself. Act confidently, even if you’re feeling nervous inside. First impressions are important, and confidence is an attractive trait in both men and women.

Start a natural conversation. You can compliment the other person, chat about what's going on around you, or ask about their well-being. If you're struggling to find a reason to talk to them, try one of these suggestions:

• Ask what time it is.
• Ask where they live.
• Ask what they're currently reading.
• Compliment their clothing.
• Discuss the song that's playing, or anything else happening around you.

Invite them out. Once the conversation has started, let them know you think they're interesting and would like to get to know them better.

• Suggest meeting for coffee, lunch, or dinner. These are simple dates that don't require any commitment, especially if you're not yet close.
• Avoid suggesting a movie date for the first meeting, as it doesn't offer much opportunity for interaction.

Be flexible if they decline. If they say 'no', smile and respond: 'Okay, I thought it was worth a try. Either way, it was nice meeting you!' Then, walk away. Don't persist once they've declined, and absolutely don't try to convince them to hang out. This will come across as rude and make them uncomfortable.

• Understand the signals. Some people are too polite to decline directly and might give an excuse, like being busy, to avoid meeting you. If they say they're busy but don't try to reschedule, they may not be interested in you.
• Stay calm and compliment them, but don't stalk them or keep saying overly flattering things. This will make it clear you're flirting with them.
• If they decline, the reason might be they're not ready for a date or they're not allowed to go out. Don't immediately assume they don't like you.
• Appear confident when asking someone out. This will not only give you a better chance at a date but also make you feel more self-assured, and your confidence will show in your behavior.
• Make the invitation when they're alone. They might feel pressured to give an answer if they're with friends.
• Dress nicely and stay composed. Don't cry if they say no.
• Ask a friend for help.