pack your bags

Meaning

To put clothes and personal belongings into suitcases or backpacks in preparation for a trip. It can be used literally or idiomatically to tell someone to get ready for an exciting journey or to leave a place.

Examples

• We leave for the airport in two hours, so you'd better pack your bags.

  We leave for the airport in two hours, so you'd better pack your bags.

• Pack your bags—we're going to Paris for the weekend!

  Pack your bags—we're going to Paris for the weekend!

• It took me all night to pack my bags for the three-week backpacking trip.

  It took me all night to pack my bags for the three-week backpacking trip.

• She told him to pack his bags and get out of her house.

  She told him to pack his bags and get out of her house.

• I always pack my bags the day before a flight to avoid rushing.

  I always pack my bags the day before a flight to avoid rushing.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to package my bags before tomorrow.

  ✓ I need to pack my bags before tomorrow.

  'Package' means to wrap something up for shipping. 'Pack' is the verb used for putting items into luggage.

• ✗ Don't forget to pack your luggages.

  ✓ Don't forget to pack your bags.

  'Luggage' is an uncountable noun and cannot be pluralized with 's'. Use the countable noun 'bags' instead.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We won the lottery! ___ because we are going to Hawaii!

  💡 Get your suitcases ready.

  Show answer

  Pack your bags

• If you want to catch the early flight, you should ___ tonight.

  💡 Prepare your luggage for a trip.

  Show answer

  pack your bags