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Do you “call in sick” or “call out sick”?

Which do you say

  • Call out sick

    Votes: 135 18.5%

  • Call in sick

    Votes: 593 81.5%
  • Total voters
    728
OP
OP
Dalek

Dalek

Member
Oct 25, 2017
39,103
For the people who "call in" I'm curious-is work the only place you "call in"?

Like - I just "call work". I don't "call in to work"

Do you "Call in to 911" or do you "call 911"

Do you "Call in to order pizza" or do you "call to order pizza"
 
Sunster

Sunster

The Fallen
Oct 5, 2018
10,070
I called out sick this morning actually because I didn't feel like working for 9 hours today.
 
TSM

TSM

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,846
It's referred to as a "call out" when someone can't make it in to work in CT which makes sense. You are calling to let someone know you will be out for the shift.
 
alias bean

alias bean

Member
Oct 27, 2017
180
Book off where I work. You also have to call when you're coming back in and "book on" or we don't have to work you.
 
Cocolina

Cocolina

Member
Oct 28, 2017
8,018
I call in (to the company to tell them I'm) sick. I don't call (the company to tell them I'm going to be out because I'm) sick.
 
TSM

TSM

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,846
In CT if you told a co worker that someone "called in" they would wonder where that person was as they don't see them in the building. It makes no logical sense.

Cocolina said:
I call in (to the company to tell them I'm) sick. I don't call (the company to tell them I'm going to be out because I'm) sick.
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But you "call in" to the the company for any communication requiring the phone. An excused absence from work means you are specifically calling to let them know you will be out.
 
MrCibb

MrCibb

Member
Dec 12, 2018
5,349
UK
You call into work sick, so I say "call in sick". I've never heard anybody say they call 'out' sick here in da UK.
 
Dali

Dali

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,184
cagey said:
The explanation that people are writing out to say "call in sick", I keep waiting for someone to say "on second thought...actually this makes no sense."

Like they're fully gaming out why it's silly.
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It's an expression. If you want to fully verbalize the sentiment you can say "I called in to work to say I'll be out sick."

Shortened most people as made evident by this thread say "I called in [sick]." Taking a different combination of the full sentiment you are trying to express and saying "I called out" is fine but i feel silly having to write out this explanation to you supposedly superior call outers.
 
Troll

Troll

Banned
Nov 10, 2017
3,278
Both work.

Called in means staying in.

Calling out means out of office.

It isn't hard to get how both are used imo.
 
EloquentM

EloquentM

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,631
Dali said:
It's an expression. If you want to fully verbalize the sentiment you can say "I called in to work to say I'll be out sick."

Shortened most people as made evident by this thread say "I called in [sick]." Taking a different combination of the full sentiment you are trying to express and saying "I called out" is fine but i feel silly having to write out this explanation to you supposedly superior call outers.
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This is why English is so hard lol
 

Deleted member 36086

User requested account closure
Banned
Dec 13, 2017
897
I always thought "call in" and "call out" meant the same thing but from different perspective.

"hey, I'm not feeling well so I'm calling in sick today"

"where's bob, I haven't seen him all day. Oh he called out sick"
 
Crushed

Crushed

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,735
It's call in sick because you're calling it in.

To "call it in" is a actual phrase.
 
NinjaBoiX

NinjaBoiX

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
718
Call in sick.

"I'm calling in to work to tell them I'm sick."

"Call out sick" isn't even a coherent sentence to me.
 
MrCibb

MrCibb

Member
Dec 12, 2018
5,349
UK
cagey said:
You call into anywhere any time you call anywhere.

Would you say you called in for takeout, or that you called for takeout?
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Not sure I get the point of your question? Calling for something (e.g. a takeaway) is different than calling in for something (to let people know you're sick). The phrase is "calling it in", not "calling out in". The latter doesn't make sense.
 

Deleted member 12224

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,113
MrCibb said:
Not sure I get the point of your question? Calling for something (e.g. a takeaway) is different than calling in for something (to let people know you're sick). The phrase is "calling it in", not "calling out in". The latter doesn't make sense.
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Are people shortening a short phrase rather than using "call" as a verb?
 
EloquentM

EloquentM

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,631
MrCibb said:
Not sure I get the point of your question? Calling for something (e.g. a takeaway) is different than calling in for something (to let people know you're sick). The phrase is "calling it in", not "calling out in". The latter doesn't make sense.
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Lol they both make sense. Jesus, y'all it's not that serious, literally regional.
 
Dream Machine

Dream Machine

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,085
Here's what I said in the last thread after I spawned this discussion:
Dream Machine said:
"Call in sick" is the verb, while ""out sick" is descriptive.

"Don't you have work today?"

A) "Yeah, but I called in sick"

B) "Yeah, but I called out sick"

Where's Dalek?

A) They're out sick

B) They're in sick

The correct answer to both is A

I guess it's just me though. Carry on speaking very normally.
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I didn't know it was a regional thing, but I've never heard "call out sick" in my life before that news story. In media, in person, anything. The more you know.

Dalek said:
This is what I can't get past.
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Well, why do you say "call out sick"? Couldn't you just say you called your boss? It's a set phrase that apparently changes regionally. Didn't this thread start with you discovering exactly that? lol
 
Dali

Dali

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,184
tommyz2kool said:
I always thought "call in" and "call out" meant the same thing but from different perspective.

"hey, I'm not feeling well so I'm calling in sick today"

"where's bob, I haven't seen him all day. Oh he called out sick"
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But bob still called you. The call was still inbound to the person at work. I'd probably still say he called in if I was the person explaining where he was.
 
NinjaBoiX

NinjaBoiX

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
718
Even the argument that suggest you're not "in" work, so you're "out" makes no sense.

I'm "off" work makes sense, "I'm off work today because I'm sick", you wouldn't say "I'm out work today because I'm sick".

"Where's Jeff?"

"He's off today, he called in sick."
 
Vex

Vex

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,213
I walked the streets of NY as a kid, but I've been down here in the south forever... I still say "call out sick"... interesting. I guess it is just a northerner thing.
 
EloquentM

EloquentM

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,631
Wait,
Do y'all think "call out sick" means

A) calling out to work to tell them I'm sick
B) calling work to tell them I'll be out sick

If it's the former I can understand the "it doesn't make sense" sentiments (it still does).

Edit: C) calling (in)to work to tell I'll be out sick

Also the most popular option is nearly the same sentence as the other one lol.
 
Last edited:
Pwnz

Pwnz

Member
Oct 28, 2017
14,279
Places
If I worked without email, you would call in sick. With any modern job you email that you are out sick.

It's the same thing. The implied phrase is "I'm calling in to let you all know that I'm out sick".
 
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