5

In English it's simple "let's meet" or "let's meet up".

In Spanish, even after having done a research, I can't figure out which one is correct and appropriate for an invitation to a date.

  1. nos vemos

  2. vamos a encontrarnos

  3. vamos a quedarnos

  4. vamos a reunirnos

  5. ???

Which? When is used each one?

Note, my question is not how to say "let's have tea together" and not "let's go out".

1
  • There's also "cuadrar"
    – aris
    Oct 6, 2018 at 2:52

5 Answers 5

4

For me, it's clear that the verb is Quedar, and the usual sentence is

¿Quieres quedar para ... ?

Liek for example, Do you want to have a tea together? You'd say

¿Quieres quedar a tomar un té?

or

¿Quieres que quedemos para tomar un té?

Or just with quedar:

¿Quedamos para tomar un té?

The imperative "quedemos" sounds kind of "too formal", it's better to say it as above, as as suggestion.

This one works out with friends and with relationships, so it's very widely used, at least in Spain, where I live. Any friend must frequently ask you one of those sentences.

It is also what you say after being introduced to a girl (or boy) you love. When you've already talked for a while. You'd use those sentences to invite her (or him) to have some drinks, or to go somewhere, or whatever.

In sum, it's definitely the one you're looking for.

7
  • why Quieres? why "tea"?
    – nylypej
    Oct 3, 2018 at 19:08
  • besides, ¿Quieres quedar a tomar un té? -- is this gramatically correct? why not "quedarnos..."?
    – nylypej
    Oct 3, 2018 at 19:11
  • "¿Quieres?" is a good way for saying "Do you fancy?" or "Would you like". As I said, "Let's meet" would be "quedemos", but it soudns weirder than it should. And why tea? Because that's what you wrote in the question, man, haha. It's just an example.
    – FGSUZ
    Oct 3, 2018 at 19:31
  • @nylypej and, as for the second one, of course it is gramatically correct, otherwise I would not have posted it here. Why not "quedarnos"? Because "nos" contradicts that the subject is "you". It's " Quieres (tú) quedarnos (nosotros)?" Of course it doesn't fit well. The one you're looking for is "¿Quieres que quedemos a tomar un té?"
    – FGSUZ
    Oct 3, 2018 at 19:32
  • 1
    @AaronF Yes, they are correct! your spanish doesn't seem that bad haha.
    – FGSUZ
    Oct 5, 2018 at 13:28
4

I think that the translation will depend very heavily on which version of Spanish do you speak. For example, I am Cuban, and there it is not very common to say "Vamos a quedarnos" or "Vamos a quedar". In the island is more common to say "Vamos a vernos". But aside from which translation is more used by region, any of the following is perfectly correct and very neutral (in the sense that you will be understood in virtually any Spanish-speaking country):

1) Reunámonos / Vamos a reunirnos.
2) Juntémonos.
3) Vamos a vernos / Veámonos.
4) Vamos a encontrarnos / Encontrémonos.

I wouldn't use "Nos vemos" because that's like a farewell in many countries, and you don't want to say Goodbye, you just want to arrange a date of some sort.

4
  • 1
    2) --> Juntémonos you meant?
    – nylypej
    Oct 3, 2018 at 23:10
  • I'm sorry, it's your way. The thing is that when you put together a verb and a pronoun in Spanish like in that case, Imperative first person in Plural, the verb will loose its "s"'s at the end. I will edit my answer. My form is obsolete.
    – user20266
    Oct 3, 2018 at 23:13
  • 2
    While it is true that "nos vemos" can be used as a way to say "see you later", if used in a question like "¿nos vemos mañana?" it is indeed an invitation to meet up.
    – Brian H.
    Oct 5, 2018 at 7:45
  • I agree, but it works because you put some context around it, with "... mañana?". In the original question it just says "Nos vemos", and so it's not correct to arrange a meeting.
    – user20266
    Oct 5, 2018 at 12:52
1

I can't figure out which one is correct and appropriate for an invitation to a date

Maybe it depend on how you are meeting the other parties. I would rather use"reunámonos" than "vamos a reunirnos"

Reunámonos el viernes para tratar este tema.

I think this one doesn't imply how you are meeting (like, in person or using Skype, FaceTime or the like).

"Veámonos" could imply to meet physically, but not necessarily. The context could imply you meet online. I would not use "Encontrémonos/encontrarse" because this one could imply "to meet in person".

Encontrar

  1. prnl. Dicho de dos o más personas o cosas: Hallarse y concurrir juntas a un mismo lugar.

You could understand that this could be a virtual space, but the first meaning of encontrar (to find), still carries strong connotations with this word. After all, you don't say "let's find each other somewhere" as you say "let's meet each other somewhere".

The option "quedemos/quedarse" could be another good option to imply "to meet somehow".

2
  • I meant meet physically
    – nylypej
    Oct 3, 2018 at 18:16
  • I would not use "Encontrémonos/encontrarse" because this one could imply "to meet in person". -- why? how else can you meet a person you've never seen? in person, physically
    – nylypej
    Oct 3, 2018 at 18:17
0

En Colombia es común escuhar la expresión "hagamos una reunión", como también "vamos a reunirnos".
La reunión puede ser presencial o virtual (por ejemplo usando herramientas comos Skype) o mixta.
Ejemplo:

hagamos una reunión para fijar las fechas de entrega

vamos a reunirnos para discutir el alcance

2
  • ¿Esto tambien se usaría para quedar con amigos? A mi me suena muy formal, aunque puede ser cosa de regiones claro.
    – Brian H.
    Oct 5, 2018 at 7:43
  • En Colombia también se usa el veámonos
    – Alfabravo
    Oct 11, 2018 at 6:33
0

I don't know about other places, and I'm also not certain this is still up to date, but some years ago there was a standard code phrase for this:

¿Quieres tomar un café?

or

Vamos a tomar un café, ¿sí?

If it's vaguely in the future:

Vamos a ponernos de acuerdo para tomar un café un día de estos.

It was analogous to the opening move in a chess game. The invitation for coffee was the opening gambit.

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  • I deliverately said: LET'S MEET! NOT "LET'S HAVE A COFFEE"!
    – nylypej
    Oct 4, 2018 at 2:00
  • @nylypej - Well, your title says, "an invitation to a date." Which I interpret as two people who are potentially interested in romance, taking a first somewhat formal step towards that. Maybe my answer didn't explain clearly: this code language ("tomar un café") has nothing to do with the actual coffee -- it's a symbolic phrase that means something other than what the words add up to, or even what the observable actions add up to. What it really means is, the first small step in a potential courtship. Oct 5, 2018 at 4:12
  • yeah, but I missed "not"
    – nylypej
    Oct 5, 2018 at 13:49

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