'I called him for dinner' or 'I called him to dinner'

[Homeswar]

Which is correct: 'I called him for dinner' or 'I called him to dinner'?

 

[Yankee]

"for", common/"to", less common but OK.

 

[Tarheel]

I'm not familiar with "I called him for dinner" but Yankee is.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd be happy with "for" if there was something else in front of it.

I called him in for dinner.
I called him down for dinner.

In 1, the person is outside (but within shouting distance) and someone shouts something like "It's time to come in for dinner!". In the second, someone is upstairs and someone shouts something like "Please come down for dinner!"

 

[teechar]

Which is correct: 'I called him for dinner' or 'I called him to dinner'?

Are you talking about inviting someone (on the phone) to dinner?

 

[jutfrank]

They're both fine, but they differ in meaning. With for, there's a sense of purpose—the purpose of calling was dinner. With to, the idea is that dinner is a place (or event).

 

[Rover_KE]

I can't help envisaging a mother calling to her young son upstairs in his playroom, 'Isambard! Get your backside down here at once for your dinner! How do you expect to make a name for yourself playing with those toy trains all day and building fancy bridges with your construction set?'

 

[Yankee]

I'm not familiar with "I called him for dinner" but Yankee is.

Then, I won't call you for dinner.

 

[probus]

In Indian English "call" is often used as a synonym for "invite". You should understand, Homeswar, that this doesn't work outside the subcontinent.