chat someone up

Meaning

To talk to someone in a friendly and flirtatious way because you find them attractive and want to start a romantic relationship or get their contact information. It is casual and common in British, Australian, and informal English worldwide.

Examples

• He spent the whole evening trying to chat up the girl sitting at the bar.

  He spent the whole evening trying to chat up the girl sitting at the bar.

• She was chatting him up near the coffee machine, laughing at all his jokes.

  She was chatting him up near the coffee machine, laughing at all his jokes.

• I don't think he's interested in buying a car; he's just trying to chat up the sales assistant.

  I don't think he's interested in buying a car; he's just trying to chat up the sales assistant.

• He went to the party hoping to chat someone up, but he ended up talking about politics all night.

  He went to the party hoping to chat someone up, but he ended up talking about politics all night.

• My friend tried to chat me up, but I told him we are just friends.

  My friend tried to chat me up, but I told him we are just friends.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He chatted with her up at the club.

  ✓ He chatted her up at the club.

  Do not insert 'with' in this phrasal verb. It is 'chat someone up', not 'chat with someone up'.

• ✗ She was chatting up to him.

  ✓ She was chatting him up.

  The object (the person being flirted with) goes directly after 'chat' or 'chat up' without the preposition 'to'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• He went to the bar to ___ the bartender, but she was too busy working.

  💡 talk flirtatiously to

  Show answer

  chat up

• I noticed a guy trying to ___ at the library yesterday.

  💡 flirt with me

  Show answer

  chat me up