take a seat

take a seat — idiom

1. to lower yourself onto a chair, bench, or other surface designed for sitting, es

1.慣用語A2
釋義

to lower yourself onto a chair, bench, or other surface designed for sitting, especially when someone invites you to or tells you that you may do so; also used as a polite way of asking or telling someone to sit down.

例句

Please take a seat, and the doctor will call your name shortly.

polite invitation with 'please' in a formal setting

Ziad took a seat at the kitchen table and opened his laptop.

past tense describing a specific action

同義詞
  • sit down

    more direct and less formal; common in both commands and casual invitations

  • have a seat

    less formal than 'take a seat'; more common in everyday American English among friends and colleagues

  • be seated

    more formal than all alternatives; typically used in written signs, official announcements, or ceremonies

反義詞

文法句型

take a seat + [prepositional phrase indicating location]

took a seat + [prepositional phrase]

用法筆記

More formal than 'sit down' when used as an invitation or instruction. In everyday American English, 'have a seat' is more common in casual contexts. The descriptive past-tense use ('took a seat') is neutral in register and can be used in both formal and informal writing.

常見錯誤

❌He took a seat on the floor.
✅He sat down on the floor.
💡'take a seat' normally implies a chair, bench, or similar piece of furniture, not the floor or ground.