‘Salir’ often means “to leave” or “to go out”; in some settings it means “to come out” or “to turn out.”
If you’re trying to pin down what salir means in English, you’re not alone. It shows up in travel, daily plans, and news. One Spanish verb can map to several English verbs, so the “right” choice depends on the words around it.
This page breaks salir into the uses you’ll meet most, shows the sentence shapes that signal each meaning, and gives practice lines you can borrow for speaking and writing.
What ‘salir’ means in English in daily use
At its simplest, salir points to a move from “inside” to “outside,” or from “hidden” to “seen.” That idea shows up in leaving a building, going out at night, something appearing in print, or a plan ending well.
When you see salir, ask two quick questions:
- Is someone or something changing place?
- Is a result showing up?
Then scan for small cues: a preposition (de, a, con, en), a time, a price, or words like bien and mal. Those clues steer you toward the English verb that fits.
When ‘salir’ means “to leave”
This meaning is about exiting a place, starting a trip, or heading out the door. It’s the one you’ll see on schedules and in “What time do we leave?” talk.
Common patterns for “to leave”
- Salir de + place → “to leave” / “to come out of”
- Salir para + destination → “to leave for”
- Salir a + time → “to leave at”
- Salir + on a trip (often with en) → “to set off” / “to head out”
Sample lines you can reuse
Salimos de casa a las ocho.
We leave the house at eight.¿A qué hora sales para el aeropuerto?
What time are you leaving for the airport?El tren sale a las 6:15.
The train leaves at 6:15.Salieron en coche al amanecer.
They set off by car at dawn.
English often needs extra words (“for,” “at,” “from”) that Spanish signals with a short preposition. If you translate word for word, you’ll feel that missing piece.
When ‘salir’ means “to go out”
In plans and social talk, salir is “to go out.” It can mean stepping outside, but it often means leaving home to do something: dinner, errands, a movie, a party.
Patterns that signal “to go out”
- Salir + activity (often with a) → “to go out to…”
- Salir + tonight/this weekend → “to go out”
- Salir con + person → “to go out with” or “to date” (context decides)
- Salir por + thing → “to go out for” (a walk, groceries, coffee)
¿Sales a cenar hoy?
Are you going out for dinner today?Salgo con mis amigos los viernes.
I go out with my friends on Fridays.Está saliendo con Ana.
He’s dating Ana.Salí por pan y volví pronto.
I went out for bread and came back soon.
That dating meaning can vary by age and country. If romance matters, Spanish often adds a clearer hint, like talking about being someone’s partner.
Meanings of ‘salir’ you’ll see beyond plans
Once you move past schedules and meetups, salir shows up in school work, media, and daily problems. The core idea still holds: something “comes out” into view, or an outcome shows up in the end.
“To come out” and “to appear”
Use “to come out” when something emerges or becomes visible. Use “to appear” when it shows up in media, a list, or a public place.
El sol sale a las siete.
The sun comes up at seven.Su foto salió en el periódico.
His photo appeared in the newspaper.Me salió una mancha en la camisa.
A stain showed up on my shirt.Salió en la lista de finalistas.
She appeared on the finalist list.
“To turn out” (outcomes)
When the outcome matters, English often uses “to turn out.” Spanish uses salir with words like bien and mal, or with a full clause about the result.
El examen me salió bien.
The exam went well for me.La receta salió mal.
The recipe turned out badly.Todo salió como planeamos.
It all turned out the way we planned.
“To get out” (escape and leaks)
In some contexts, salir lines up with “to get out.” This shows up with secrets, news, and liquids.
La noticia salió ayer.
The news got out yesterday.Se salió el agua del lavabo.
Water spilled out of the sink.
| Spanish pattern | Common English meaning | Quick note |
|---|---|---|
| salir de + place | leave / come out of | Physical exit or departure |
| salir para + destination | leave for | Trip start |
| salir + time | leave at | Schedules: trains, flights, people |
| salir (social) | go out | Plans, nights out, errands |
| salir con + person | go out with / date | Romance depends on context |
| salir por + item | go out for | Short errand |
| salir en + media/list | appear / be on | News, lists, TV, maps |
| salir el sol/la luna | come up / rise | Daily events |
| salir + stain/rash | show up / break out | Something appears on a surface |
| salir bien/mal | turn out | Outcome of a task or plan |
| salir (news) | come out / get out | Info becomes public |
When ‘salir’ talks about cost
In many countries, salir can express how a price “comes out” for someone. English often uses “cost,” “come to,” or “run.” You’ll see it with an indirect object pronoun: me, te, le, nos.
Me sale caro comer fuera.
Eating out costs me a lot.¿Cuánto te salió el libro?
How much did the book cost you?Nos salió en diez dólares.
It came to ten dollars for us.
Watch the grammar: the thing that “costs” is often the subject in Spanish, and the person is marked with me/te/le. That can flip the feel of the sentence when you translate it.
What ‘salirse’ adds to the meaning
The reflexive form salirse often adds the sense of “coming out of place” or “going off.” You’ll hear it with clothing, objects that slip, and rules that someone steps outside of.
Se me salió el zapato.
My shoe slipped off.La cadena se salió.
The chain came off.Se salió del tema.
He went off topic.
Don’t panic if you see both: salir and salirse. The base meaning is still there. Salirse just adds a nudge toward “off,” “out of place,” or “off course.”
Salida on signs and screens
If you travel, you’ll spot salida on doors and in airports. It’s the noun from salir. On a sign it means “exit.” In other settings it can mean “departure,” “output,” or even “way out,” based on context.
Salida de emergencia
Emergency exitSalida a la derecha
Exit on the right
Forms of ‘salir’ you’ll meet most
Salir is irregular in the present tense with salgo, and it has an irregular preterite pattern in the third person: salió, salieron. Once those feel normal, the rest is easier to predict.
In verb lists, it sits with “go” verbs.
If you’re reading, recognize these forms first. If you’re speaking, learn the command sal too. It shows up in signs and in day to day talk.
| Form | Spanish | English sense |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | salir | to leave / to go out |
| Gerund | saliendo | leaving / going out |
| Past participle | salido | left / gone out (in perfect tenses) |
| Present (yo) | salgo | I leave / I go out |
| Present (tú) | sales | you leave / you go out |
| Present (él/ella) | sale | he/she leaves; it comes out |
| Preterite (yo) | salí | I left / I went out |
| Preterite (él/ella) | salió | he/she left; it came out |
| Command (tú) | sal | leave! / go out! |
How to choose the right translation on the spot
When you’re reading, you don’t have time to test five translations in your head. Use this short checklist and move on.
- Spot the preposition.De points to leaving. En often points to appearing in media or on a list. Con points to going out with someone.
- Check the subject. A train, movie, photo, or stain can’t “go out for dinner,” so you’re in the “come out/appear” zone.
- Look for result words.Bien and mal often pair with “turn out.”
- Scan for money. If you see me/te/le plus a price, “cost” is often the cleanest English verb.
Common set phrases with ‘salir’
Some salir phrases act like fixed chunks. Learning them as a unit saves time, since the English match often isn’t a word for word swap.
Daily phrases
- salir adelante → get by; pull through
- salir bien/mal → turn out well/badly
- salir a cuenta → be worth it; pay off
- salirse con la suya → get one’s way
- salir del paso → get through a rough spot
- salir de dudas → clear up doubts
In writing, these phrases help you sound natural without stretching for fancy verbs. In speaking, they help you stay smooth when you’re under pressure.
Pronunciation and spelling notes
Salir is pronounced roughly like “sah LEER,” with the stress on the last syllable: sa LIR. In careful Spanish it sounds like /saˈliɾ/. The final r is a quick tap in most accents.
Don’t mix it up with sal (salt). Sal with no ending is also the tú command of salir. Context tells you which one it is.
Mini practice you can do in five minutes
Pick one meaning and drill it with three lines. Say them out loud, then swap details like time, place, and person.
Drill 1: Leaving
- Salgo de casa a las siete.
- Salimos de la clase tarde.
- ¿Sales para el trabajo ahora?
Drill 2: Going out
- ¿Sales esta noche?
- Salimos a comer el sábado.
- Sale con sus amigos después del trabajo.
Drill 3: Turning out
- La reunión salió bien.
- El plan salió mal.
- It all turned out well. → Todo salió bien.
After that, write two of your own lines that match your real life. If you can say them without pausing, you’ve got the pattern.
How this page was put together
The meanings and patterns here match how major Spanish dictionaries and learner references describe salir. If your class uses a house style, stick with that, and use this page to build intuition about the patterns.