Planning a Casual Outing
A couple is discussing ideas for a relaxed date, like a picnic, a walk in the park, or going to a cafe, and coordinating schedules.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
relaxed
Means calm and not stressful; use it when suggesting low-pressure activities like a casual date to show you want something easygoing.
casual
Informal and not formal; often used for relaxed outings like a picnic, helping to describe simple plans without much preparation.
picnic
An outdoor meal where you bring food to eat in a park; a popular idea for a romantic or friendly date in good weather.
chill
Slang for relaxing or hanging out without much activity; common in casual conversations to suggest taking it easy with someone.
grab
Informal way to say 'get or buy quickly,' like 'grab coffee' meaning to pick up a drink on the go; useful for suggesting simple meetups.
prefer
To like one thing more than another; ask 'What do you prefer?' to politely let the other person choose in planning situations.
free
Available and not busy; say 'Are you free?' when checking someone's schedule for a date or meeting.
looking forward to
Feeling excited about something upcoming; use it to express positive anticipation, like for a fun outing with a friend or date.
stroll
A slow, relaxed walk for enjoyment; perfect for describing a leisurely activity like walking in a park during a casual date.
catch up
To talk and share recent news with someone you haven't seen in a while; commonly used when planning time to reconnect on a date.
pin
Short for location pin in apps like maps; send a 'pin' to share an exact spot, helpful for coordinating meetups to avoid confusion.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Do you have any plans?
A polite way to check someone's availability; useful for starting a conversation about making plans, like for a weekend date. It's a question form with 'any' for general inquiries.
What's on your mind?
Idiomatic expression asking for someone's thoughts or ideas; great for inviting suggestions in planning, showing interest in their preferences during casual talks.
What do you prefer?
Asks for a choice between options; helpful in decision-making for dates, using the verb 'prefer' in present simple to keep it direct and polite.
Are you free then?
Checks if someone is available at a specific time; practical for coordinating schedules, with 'then' referring to the mentioned time, common in informal planning.
Should we meet around 2 PM?
Suggests a meeting time with flexibility using 'around'; useful for proposing plans, in question form to seek agreement, ideal for date arrangements.
I'm really looking forward to it.
Expresses excitement about a future event; a positive phrase to end planning talks, using present continuous for ongoing feelings, builds rapport in relationships.
See you then!
Casual goodbye when confirming a meeting; short and friendly, with 'then' meaning at the agreed time, commonly used to wrap up date plans.