“Are We Still On”? Here’s The Meaning & Alternatives (+9 Examples)

Making sure you’re using sayings in the correct tone and context is an important part of learning any language. The saying “are we still on” is a nice way to confirm an agreement, but does that means it works for all contexts and tones? We’ll look into it a little deeper to see what we can tell you about it.

What Is The Meaning Of “Are We Still On”?

The meaning of “are we still on” is to confirm a meeting or a date with someone you have set it with. Generally, you will ask someone if you are “still on” to either clarify an already made arrangement or double-check that the arrangement is still going ahead. You typically ask if something has made you unsure whether the agreement will continue, whether it be differing news or a long period of silence about the news.

If someone hasn’t mentioned a meeting or date for a while, it’s human nature to start worrying about it a little bit. If you’re unsure whether the date is still set in stone, it’s good to check with the person who arranged it to make sure. That’s why “are we still on” is a popular phrase to use in English. Many people ask it for exactly this reason. It gives them peace of mind while also clarifying the meeting with the person who arranged it.

As a side note: even if you arrange the meeting yourself, you can still ask the other participating parties “are we still on” to check whether they’re planning to show up.

Is It Polite To Say “Are We Still On”?

In informal situations, there is nothing wrong with saying, “are we still on.” Most of your friends and family members will be more than happy to hear it and not think much else of it. In fact, it’s regarded as a polite way to ask if the date or meeting is still going ahead as planned. A few people don’t like the delivery of the phrase, but you’ll learn to understand who those people are, and it’s good to remember not to use it in front of them.

However, if you’re in a more formal situation, like at work or on a business call, it might be better to come up with an alternative. We’ll include some good formal alternatives at the end of this article that might help you. It’s not the worst thing in the world. If you know your boss well and don’t mind colloquialisms, then “are we still on” will work if you’re asking about things like meetings.

If you take that a step further, though, and ask something like “are we still on” to the company’s big boss, then you might be in trouble. Because of the informality of the comment, it may be considered rude by your superiors. If you’re not familiar with them or how they speak to their employees, it’s best to avoid using it. You don’t want to come across as rude to them (and we certainly don’t want to encourage you to try it).

11 Examples Of How To Use “Are We Still On”

So, let’s look through some examples of when we can use the phrase “are we still on.” There are plenty that we can choose from, and after you’ve read through these, you’ll start to understand for yourself just how easy it is to say. In fact, if you’ve made plans before with an English speaker and they’ve come back to you to clarify them, then there’s a high probability you’ve already heard one or two of these sayings before.

1. Are we still on for tomorrow’s date?
2. Are we still on for tonight at work?
3. Are we still on track to meet all of our targets by the end of the month?
4. Are we still on for today?
5. Are we still on for today’s meeting, boss?
6. Are we still on for the date we planned together?
7. Are we still on for the trip to the zoo on Saturday?
8. Are we still on for the restaurant next weekend?
9. Are we still on for the work trip next month?

Notice how we start each of these examples with “are we still on.” It’s a phrase that always comes at the start of a sentence because it’s how we intend to ask our questions. Without starting the sentence with it, we won’t be making much sense. That’s why it’s important to write it first. It’s also good to remember that you cannot write the phrase “are we still on” without a question mark because “are we” will always come in the form of a question.

Alternatives Ways To Confirm An Agreement

Let’s finish up with the alternatives so you can see how one might ask this instead. Whether you’re in an informal or formal situation, sometimes it’s good to have alternatives ready that convey the same meaning but aren’t the phrase “are we still on?” It’s even better if you’re worried about the delivery and worried about someone thinking of you as rude. If you can just use something else entirely, you’re all set!

Informal

• Are we still good for

This is asking pretty much the same question as “are we still on.” However, most people believe this one to be the more polite variation. It’s also more common to use with friends when asking them questions like “are we still good for Friday.”

• Are we set

Again, we’re structuring the question in the same way, starting with “are we.” This time, we’re using a friendly variation again, like “are we set for Saturday.” We typically only use this one for close friends that we know well.

Formal

• Does our appointment still suit your schedule?

This question is slightly more long-winded, but it’s more formal and the desirable option if you’re using it in a business format.

• How does it suit you?

Again, we’re asking a polite question to check how the timings suit somebody, which is exactly what we’re looking for when writing or speaking in a formal sense.