Hang out means to spend time somewhere or with someone in a relaxed way, usually without a special plan: with friends, at a café, at home. It is informal. The second meaning is to hang something up outside, most often washing to dry: “hang out the washing”.
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hang out with + person; hang out at/in + place; hang out + washing
- On Fridays I usually hang out with my classmates at a café near the university.
- When I travel alone, I like to hang out in local markets and watch people.
- It's sunny today, so I'll hang out the washing before work.
What changed
First versionLast weekend we hanged out at the beach.
RevisionLast weekend we hung out at the beach.
The past form of “hang” is “hung”: “we hung out”. The form “hanged” also exists, but it is only used about killing a person by hanging, for example as an execution. It does not fit a weekend with friends.
“Hang out” sounds informal. In an essay or a formal letter, “spend time” is better: I spend a lot of time with my family at weekends. Also, do not confuse it with “hang on”, which means “wait”: Hang on, I'm coming.
Your turn
At weekends my son likes to ___ with his friends at the skate park.
Show the answer
hang out — The sentence is about how the son spends time with his friends, which is “hang out”. “Hang on” means to wait or to hold tight, and it makes no sense with “with his friends”.
Describe how you spend a free evening. Say who you usually meet and where.
On free evenings I usually hang out with my brother at a small café near our flat.
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