Get out of here!

“Get Out Of Here”

At some point while watching TV shows or scrolling through TikTok videos, you’ve probably heard someone say “Get out of here”, like Joey from the show FRIENDS. However, in those moments, the person saying it doesn’t sound angry, and they are definitely not asking someone to actually leave the room. In fact, they usually sound like they’re joking or reacting with surprise.

This can be confusing for English learners because the literal meaning of the phrase doesn’t match how it’s being used. But this is a great example of how native speakers use common idioms and informal expressions in everyday conversation.

There are many phrases in English that may not make sense right away. Even as a native speaker, I still come across new ones when I talk to people from different regions or backgrounds. So if you don’t immediately understand some expressions, that’s completely normal. This is exactly why we take time to learn and share interesting slang and casual speech.

In this case, “Get out of here” is an informal way of saying “Are you serious?” or “No way.” It is usually said when someone shares something surprising or hard to believe. It is not something you would say for ordinary events. For example, if I told you I bought a new toothpaste today, it would sound strange to respond with “Get out of here.” But if I said the new toothpaste made my teeth instantly white, then you could say “Get out of here” because that sounds unusual and unexpected.

This phrase works as a fun and dramatic way to express shock or disbelief. It is almost like saying, “That can’t be true,” but in a playful way. It is so surprising that you pretend to tell the person to go away, even though you are actually just reacting with amazement.

Now that you know what this expression means, you can recognize it when people use it in a friendly or joking tone. And you don’t have to worry because nobody actually expects you to leave the room when you hear it.

Additional Tip:

The phrase “Get out of here” can also be used in the same way as “You serious?” or “For real?” All three are casual ways to respond to something that sounds surprising or unbelievable