be over for dinner

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be over for dinner" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when inviting someone to come to your home to share a meal, typically in a casual or friendly context. Example: "We would love for you to be over for dinner this Saturday evening."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

I was so confident I had cracked the code that I decided I would hold a blind tasting the next time Puerto Rican friends were over for dinner.

The New York Times - Food

Susan Lorman raised the idea of egg freezing when her daughter Stephanie, a sales representative in Los Angeles, was over for dinner shortly before her 35th birthday.

The New York Times

When the Vogue editor André Leon Talley was over for dinner and saw the oval copper pot in the oven, he insisted that the oven door stay open.

The New York Times - Style

When I was telling my vacuum repair story to a friend who was over for dinner last week, he interrupted to say: "The best place to find one is online.

The New York Times - Tech

Finally, conedison's offspring are not helping: One of my kids was over for dinner last night and when he left I found two novels on my desk – The Corner That Held Them by Sylvia Townsend Warner and Adam Resurrected by Yoram Kaniuk.

The Guardian - Books

Cut to a month ago, when Paula and Patrick were over for dinner, and I was telling them Vegas had a record year (41.1 million visitors in 2014), new upscale hotels (the Cromwell, Delano, SLS Las Vegas), new shopping ops at the Linq open-air mall and a terrific restaurant from star chef Giada De Laurentiis.

The Washington Post

Last week when friends were over for dinner, he was asked why he contributed little to the evening's conversation.

Huffington Post

CI - Confidential Informant Marty says this when he returns from a phone call when Rust is over for dinner.

HuffPost

He killed Yusor ― and Yusor's 19-year-old sister Razan Abu-Salha, who was over for dinner ― execution-style.

HuffPost

He killed Yusor ― and Yusor's 19-year-old sister Razan Abu-Salha, who was over for dinner ― execution-style. .

Huffington Post

They once had a row over which dish to serve the green beans in when my brother's girlfriend was over for dinner.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be over for dinner" when you want to casually invite someone to your home for a meal. It implies a friendly and informal gathering.

Common error

Avoid using "be over for dinner" in very formal invitations or professional settings. Opt for phrases like "join us for dinner" or "we would be delighted if you could attend dinner at our residence" for a more appropriate tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be over for dinner" functions as an invitation or a suggestion to share a meal at someone's home. It uses a prepositional phrase to specify the purpose of the visit: having dinner. Ludwig AI confirms it is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be over for dinner" serves as a casual and friendly invitation to share a meal at someone's home. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is correct and usable in written English. While grammatically sound, its informal register makes it unsuitable for formal or professional settings. Related phrases like "come for dinner" or "join us for dinner" offer similar meanings with slight variations in inclusivity and formality. When composing invitations, remember to consider the intended audience and occasion to select the most appropriate phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Come for dinner

This is a more direct and concise invitation to have dinner.

Join us for dinner

This suggests a more inclusive invitation, indicating that others will also be present.

Come dine at my house

This is a straightforward invitation to dine at the speaker's residence.

Dine with us

This phrase is slightly more formal than the original.

Have supper at our place

"Supper" is a less common term for dinner, making this option slightly more informal or regional.

Be our dinner guest

This emphasizes the role of the invitee as a guest.

Break bread with us

This is a more figurative and somewhat archaic way of inviting someone to dinner, implying shared fellowship.

Attend our dinner party

This suggests a more elaborate and planned event.

Share a meal at our home

This phrase highlights the act of sharing a meal in a personal setting.

Partake in dinner

This is a slightly more formal and less common way to invite someone to dinner.

FAQs

What does "be over for dinner" mean?

It means to visit someone's home to have dinner with them. It's a casual invitation for a meal.

What is a more formal way to say "be over for dinner"?

More formal alternatives include "join us for dinner" or "we would be delighted if you could attend dinner at our residence".

How can I use "be over for dinner" in a sentence?

You can say, "My friends will "be over for dinner" tonight", or "Why don't you "be over for dinner" on Friday?"

Is it correct to say "being over for dinner"?

While grammatically possible in some contexts, it's less common. It's better to use ""be over for dinner"" directly for a simple invitation.