preposition after the verb 'to invite'

[Yvonne Young]

Dear Sir/Madam

Could you please tell me which is more correct to say 'I would like to invite you to coffee' or 'I would like to invite you for coffee?'. I used the former ie using the preposition to but

Recently when typing a circular for parents of children at my school I ended the letter thus 'After mass all are invited to coffee at the school, compliments of the headteacher'. A colleague of mine pointed out that it is incorrect to use the preposition 'to' in this case and that I ought to have used 'for' instead. Could you please tell me which is the correct form? When I looked up the word 'invite' as a verb in the dictionary I came across the phrase 'to invite to dinner' so I presume that one also invites to tea and to coffee. However this colleague insisted that the English say 'to invite to tea' but 'to invite for coffee'. Now I am a bit confused. Can you please help out.

An early answer would oblige. With grateful thanks.

Yvonne Young

[Yvonne Young]

I would appreciate a quick reply to my message. Am waiting ..... thanks.

[Tdol]

Invite for + activity
Invite to + place/event

'Coffee' isn't a place or an event, so I'd agree and use 'for coffee'.

You will see 'dinner' used with both- it depends whether you think of it as an occaion, like a dinner party, os simply the act of eating.

Tea:

They've invited me to tea = a meal at about 5pm
They've invited me for tea = a cup of tea

[Yvonne Young]

Many thanks for your reply. I am so pleased I can get such help from qualified persons. God bless.

Yvonne Young

[Tdol]

You're welcome.