How to say it's time to leave: 9 natural English lines
Read the full lesson on MicroEnglish (free): the video, tone notes for every line, example dialogues and a quiz.
To say it's time to leave politely, use "We should get going." Before a trip or drive with friends, say "Let's hit the road." If you need to hurry, say "Let's get a move on," but save it for friends because it sounds pushy.
Watch the Short
Hana asks Marco to remove himself from the chair slowly, with the beans, and Marco wonders if that means he should leave the chair but take the beans. Later, Hana tells him, "We'd better hit the road now." Marco is ready: he packed sandwiches for the drive, even though it's only six minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ieTOJE4btMw
The lines at a glance
- We should get going. (Polite and gentle)
- Let's hit the road. (Casual and friendly)
- Let's get a move on. (Bold and in a hurry)
- We'd better hit the road. (Friendly with a reason)
- I should head out. (Relaxed and polite)
- I'd better be off. (Light and friendly)
- Time to go. (Short and direct)
- Shall we? (Polite invitation)
- I'm going to take off. (Casual and easy)
1. We should get going.
Tone: Polite and gentle
Use it at the end of a visit, a dinner, or a meeting when you want to leave without sounding rude. It works with hosts, coworkers, and people you don't know well.
In the film Critters (1986):
Well, we should get going.
For example:
A: Would you like another coffee?
B: Thanks, but we should get going. It's getting late.
A: Of course. Thanks for coming.
2. Let's hit the road.
Tone: Casual and friendly
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Use it before a trip, a drive, or any time you leave to travel somewhere. It sounds relaxed, so it fits friends and family better than a formal meeting.
In the film A Star Is Born (1954):
Let's hit the road.
For example:
A: The car is packed and I have the map.
B: Great. Let's hit the road.
3. Let's get a move on.
Tone: Bold and in a hurry
It means "hurry up." Use it with friends when you are late or close to late. Don't use it with a host or your boss, because it can sound like an order.
In the film Open Season 3 (2010):
Let's get a move on.
For example:
A: The movie starts in ten minutes.
B: Then let's get a move on. I'll grab my keys.
4. We'd better hit the road.
Tone: Friendly with a reason
"We'd better" means "we had better." It adds a small warning: if you don't leave now, there may be a problem, such as traffic or being late. Use it with friends and family.
For example:
A: It's already five o'clock.
B: We'd better hit the road, or we'll miss the train.
5. I should head out.
Tone: Relaxed and polite
Use it when you, not the whole group, need to leave. It works at work, at a party, or after a call. It is softer than "I'm leaving."
For example:
A: Are you staying for the next round of games?
B: I should head out. I have an early start tomorrow.
6. I'd better be off.
Tone: Light and friendly
Use it when you are leaving and want to sound warm. It is common in British English but understood everywhere. It sounds a little old-fashioned in very casual American speech.
