Be Up To vs Be Up For: What's the Difference?

Be up to' and 'be up for' look almost identical, but they have different meanings, and native speakers use both all the time. In this video, you will learn how to tell them apart. 'Be up to' has two main meanings. First, it means to be physically or mentally able to do something. For example: After going to the gym, I wasn't up to going out for dinner. Second, it can mean to be doing something, often something secret or suspicious. For example: Can you see what the neighbour is up to? You will also hear the friendly question 'What are you up to?', which simply means 'What are you doing?' 'Be up for' means to want to do something or be interested in an activity. It is often used for invitations. For example: We're going to the club later. Are you up for it? You can answer 'I'm up for it!' or 'I'm not really up for it tonight.' Here is the easy rule: up to is doing something, up for is wanting to do something. Watch the video, repeat each example, and practice by inviting a friend to do something using 'Are you up for...?'