AAAmerican Accent US

hang out

No object

This verb takes no object at all.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: hang OUT. Saying “HANG out” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Link across the gap. The final /ŋ/ of “hang” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “hang out” is said “ha-ngout”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.

What it means

  1. To spend time relaxing with people.

    informal
    • “Let's hang out at your place tonight and watch a movie.”
    • “They hang out at the same café every Sunday.”

    Similar: spend time, chill

The particle logic

out

Something exits a container, becomes visible, or is exhausted.

Listen + practice

Hear “hang out” spoken naturally

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More HANG phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

hang on

To wait a short time.

hang up

To end a telephone call.

hang around

To stay in a place without a clear purpose.

hang in

To persevere through a difficult time — usually as 'hang in there'.

hang out — meaning, examples & how to say it