# be up for

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/be-up-for
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to want to do something or be willing to try an activity.

For teachers: to be willing, interested, or ready to participate in a specific activity; typically used in informal spoken registers to gauge interest.

## Examples

- Are you up for a movie tonight?
- I'm not really up for a long hike today because my legs are still sore from yesterday.
- Despite the late hour and the freezing temperatures, several members of the team were still up for continuing the search.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Are you up for go to the park?" but "Are you up for going to the park?" — the preposition 'for' must be followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form).

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun or a verb ending in -ing.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'feel like' (which focuses more on a mood or craving) and 'be down for' (a very similar slang alternative common in American English).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.