Do people actually say this?

It has both meanings. Yes, it's very common to say, "Hey are you free?" or, "Will you be free this weekend?" It does also mean freedom, like you said. It has additional meanings as well. The teacher should know better than to ask for the opposite of a word that has multiple meanings, give no context, and only accept one of the multiple correct answers. That's not a test, that's a trap. 

The teacher might be right and that the most common opposite to free is busy. However, without context, it’s just as legitimate to say that the opposite of free is trapped.

The lack of context makes it impossible to answer accurately. Both yours and the teachers answers are valid, but my mind immediately would think 'free' to mean something that doesn't cost any money. In this context there isn't really a single word that means the opposite though. It is very common for people to use the word 'free' the way the teacher used it. Asking someone "are you free?" is a common phrase that means "are you not busy?"

Yes, people would say that, for instance, "Are you free for a quick chat" means "Can you talk right now."

People actually ask “Are you free?” Which means “Are you currently not busy?”. But if someone asked me “What is the opposite of free?” I would think something close to “trapped”, like you. The teacher’s question needed context that it was referring to “free vs busy” as opposed to “freedom/unfree”. But to answer your main question, yes, we will say stuff like “are you free Friday night?” = “do you have free time (not busy) on Friday night?”

My first instinct would not be to say "trapped," but as soon as I read it I thought "oh that's clever of you." I probably would have said "expensive," but "busy" and "tapped" absolutely do work.

The opposite of free can be: Busy, trapped, oppressed, fastened, authoritarian, paid, contained…. You see where this is going. Those are a bunch of *very* different words, because the word “free” can mean many things. These things do not and cannot have a common antonym. A free bird is not the opposite of a busy bird; it’s the opposite of a caged bird. Similarly, a free ride is not the opposite of a busy ride. A free nation is not the opposite of a busy nation. A free spirit is not the opposite of a busy spirit. They have plenty of alcohol-free options, but why no alcohol-busy choices? But a free afternoon, yes, that might be the opposite of a busy one. If I am free right now, that means I’m not busy. The teacher’s game works for words with one meaning, or a few closely-related meanings. Free, not so much.

People do say “I’m free” to mean “I’m not busy.” But they also say “I’m free” to mean “I’m not being held back/constrained/trapped.” For example, “I’m free this Tuesday” means you’re not busy this Tuesday. But if you race out of the classroom saying “I’m free!” it means you’re no longer trapped. So both of your definitions/opposites are correct and commonly used, but she’s incorrect for claiming that “trapped” isn’t a legitimate answer. It’s a word that depends on context, and without context, either definition goes.

I will text a friend to ask if they're free meaning not busy, but your answer wasn't wrong either

I think your answer is good, too. "Hey, are you free?" will normally mean, "Are you busy at the moment?" not "Are you trapped?" but that's mostly because being trapped is a lot more visually obvious than being busy. Also, we're more likely to come upon situations where free-vs-busy is relevant than situations where free-vs-trapped is. So, just statistically, free-vs-busy is more likely to come up. On the other hand, if someone called me to ask if I was free (not busy), but I was in my car in a parking lot when a bear showed up to block the exit, I'm definitely not free (trapped). I can't get out of my car, and my car can't get out of the parking lot. "Free" simply means "unconstrained." Any constraint can count as an opposite of "free." I'm not free if I'm swamped at work and won't be able to go home until midnight (busy). I'm not free if my leg is stuck in a ditch (trapped). I'm not free if someone convinced me to go to another country then stole my passport (trafficked). I'm not free if I would be beaten or starved for leaving (trapped). A tiger in the zoo is not free, even though it's definitely not busy, either. Your teacher is being too strict and limiting you to only the answers she intended, instead of accepting any answer that's true. Your language skills will grow more if you're allowed to play around and explore, seeking out all the true answers, not just the ones she shows you.

I (native English speaker) would have said “incarcerated” 🤷‍♂️

Yes people ask if you’re free in the moment. But if there was really no other context, you’re right to have pointed out her mistake. Free can mean free from captivity, free from constraints, free from obligations, not busy, etc., or it can mean free of cost. All of these are common enough that she can’t point to her meaning being obvious.

It depends on the context. What was the actual context? Was it a business language class, or practicing how to respond to Teams requests? It won't have come out of nowhere, because otherwise there are a dozen or so antonyms to "free." Trapped is one, but so is enslaved, and so is paid for. "Trapped" is only a likely answer in dire circumstances that probably won't come up in class. "Do people actually ask if you're free in the moment (present)? Like, do they actually say it to refer to that specific instance?" Yes, they do.

You can use "free" that way. Like this: "Are you free on Friday night? I'm having a party. You should come." Or: "I need some help with this report. Are you free?"

It means *not buisy*, *freedom* and *without monetary cost* equaly.

My immediate answer in my head was imprisoned, so there is that.

It's like an old fashioned meaning. I have a feeling that she was checking to see if you were listening to the lesson or talking about something else.

“Free” has multiple meanings so it has multiple opposites. “Busy” and “trapped” both work for different definitions of the word

they use it both ways

Eh, there are a few things going on here, and the bottom line is that the question did need context. However... * You're correct in that without context, "trapped" could be an antonym of "free". * However, if you were in that situation, I think you'd be more likely to ask someone if they're trapped instead of if they're free--e.g., if a piece of wood falls on your leg and you're not visible, a medic would probably ask either "Are you trapped?" or "Are you able to get free?"; they probably wouldn't ask if you're free. * Your teacher is correct that it's really common (at least in the US) to ask someone if they're free as in "not busy". However, I wouldn't say it's necessarily more common than asking if someone is busy. People do both. * IME, you might be more likely to ask if someone is free if you're referring to a social event ("Are you free to grab drinks on Friday?"), but use "busy" if it's something more obligatory (i.e., "Are you busy?" = "Can you do this thing that must be done at this moment in time, or are you too busy to do so?"); either would be acceptable in either situation, though. "Free" can mean a lot of different things, really--e.g., free vs paid (as in how much something costs), free vs restricted, etc. I wouldn't say you were wrong **unless** there **was** additional context in the unit or lesson to indicate that you're focused on certain kinds of language. For example, if the larger unit is about language related to social situations, then it'd be odd to use it in the way you're suggesting (although as others pointed out, you could say "trapped" to mean metaphorically busy--i.e., "I'm trapped going to a family party"). If there was truly zero context, then I'd consider your answer to be correct.

*Telephoning my friend in prison*: "Are you free?" "Well... it depends what you mean."

Yes, they say "Are you free?" if they want to know if you are not busy. But, that's the CONTEXT. She didn't give context and therefore there was no way for you to know which meaning she was talking about. If I just saw the word "free" by itself, I would think the opposite is "trapped" or "imprisoned" too. I wouldn't think of your teacher's definition as the "default" if that makes sense.

Tell your teacher she’s an idiot from me.

Yes, we say, "Are you free?" and "Are you busy?" And when we are trapped and then not trapped, we can say, "I am free". "Free" and "costs money" are opposites. "How much is that candy bar?" "Doesn't cost anything, it's free."

To answer your specific question, yes, "Are you free?" most commonly means "Are you free to do something or are you busy?" However, you are correct because trapped can mean the opposite of free. Expensive can mean the opposite of free. It's not a very good question, and she didn't say "Most people mean this...." because she was right, she said it because she realized she'd made a mistake and didn't want to admit it. Exactly nothing good can come of trying to continue this argument with your teacher if she's the sort of teacher who can never admit she made a mistake.

My first thought was "caged," so I'm with you. I read 'busy' and went, ".... *head tilt*.... Ohhh right." People definitely say, "Are you free this weekend?"/"No, I'm busy, " but that's in context. I wouldn't just assume free/busy as opposites. It's a terrible example.

The TV show Are You Being Served had the catchphrase "Mr Humphries, are you free?" "I'm free!"

One more: To get out. How did the dog/horses/cows get free? Call me when you get free of the city. I can’t wait to be free of debt. Another: to be without restriction (yes, this can refer to time, but context matters) Are you free to speak? You are free to leave. Context is so important. I’m not sure that discounting the given answer was a good way to teach English.

I would have said costly.

I was originally thinking expensive… but busy?? My brain needed a few seconds to decipher that one…

Honestly, what end teacher should have said is, "Yes, but that's not the answer I'm looking for." Both are very much so correct, and while your teacher is right with what people usually mean when they say they're free in conversation, that wasn't the question you were asked.  The question you were asked,  what is the opposite of free, has three good answers. 1: Trapped, as you said. Free, being as in freedom, messing you csn do as you want, and its opposite is to be restricted. 2: Busy, as your teacher said. Free meaning you have no obligations at the moment, its opposite is to have a current obligation (think of it as freedom in time). 3: Costly. Free in this case being that you don't have to pay for it and its opposite is that you do. 

Yes, people ask "are you free?" But side note, that teacher needs to check herself.

(Native Speaker) When I first read the question, my first 3 answers were paid, arrested and shackled, I didn't even think of busy XD

As a native English speaker, I wouldn’t automatically assume free means not busy. It can also mean “not in use” or something you don’t have to pay for. Your teacher either needs to go back to school or isn’t a native speaker.

Theoretically, not being free could also mean you're expensive.

Neither answer is really wrong, you're right that it needs more context to pick which word would be the best opposite if I were a teacher and I got the answer trapped but wanted busy I would consider that my bad for not being clear enough in the question. To answer the question, yes people ask if you're free to mean not busy often in the context of some specific time or day, "are you free Tuesday?" or in the immediate moment although I'd probably be more likely to ask "you busy?" in that scenario.

The opposite of `free` can also be `liable for costs`. It’s baffling a language teacher doesn’t understand a word can have more than one meaning depending on context. >she said that most people would ask if you're free, not that if you're busy While she’s not wrong on this, availablity isn’t the only meaning of `free`. Merriam Webster lists whopping [15 of them](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free).

Typical Scotsman, to me the opposite of free is expensive 😂 But yes to have freedom and to be without plans are all valid uses.

It's a bad question. I can think of at least 5 words that could be said to be the opposite of "free" and I'm sure there are others. It's a word with a lot of definitions.

The opposite of free can also be expensive.

You're correct that the question lacked context. Trapped is the opposite of free in some contexts. So is busy, in other situations.

Usually if I ask "are you free tomorrow?" I'm not asking if you're planning to be incarcerated. I'm asking if you're available or if you have something scheduled. So your teacher is tight about her answer being more commonly used. But you are correct that [free // trapped] is a good opposite pair in your context.

There’s a lot of meanings for the word free, so she’s not wrong, but neither are you. Free can mean freedoms, something is free if it doesn’t cost anything, free can mean unoccupied/not busy. Opposites could be enslaved, costly, or busy.

It is common. Still, if you are learning English, which is a difficult language; then the teacher needs to offer context to their question.

As a teacher, she made a mistake assuming people will default to one over the other. That being said, she isn't wrong in her response. People will generally use it for free and busy. But still, if you're a freaking teacher, your role isn't to assume which definition people will use. It's to teach both and be clear so your students aren't confused.

Funny, I would've said "priceless," because free can also mean it costs nothing. You are correct that the question lacked context, but your teacher is right that free is often used to mean available. It is more often used to talk about availability or price, because those things come up more often in daily conversation, but within the context of a story about slavery, imprisonment, politics (when discussing rights and a lack of restriction), or similar topics.

My very American immediate answer was "Paid".  And I don't really have anything to add beyond that I thought that was culturally interesting.

"Are you free, Mr Humphries?" "I'm free"! One for the youngsters, there. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqWNG\_X0bAQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqWNG_X0bAQ)

Teacher: "What's the opposite of 'free'?" American: "Communism!!! 🦅" Yeah, "free" has too many meanings, and your friend's answer is one a native speaker would give, unless there was context around scheduling. "Are you free Tuesday?" <-- "Tuesday", "at 3pm", "this Christmas" etc gives clear context "Are you free?" <-- Very common phrase, usually understood to be about scheduling. Context may be visual, like asking a cashier or other worker for help. "Yeah, just a sec", "No, sorry" are common responses. If the worker wants to joke, they may say something like "No, I'm very expensive actually" or "No, I've been stuck here for days", intentionally misinterpreting "free". "Free?" <-- With zero context, this sounds like someone asking if an item costs nothing, or if someone escaped a place they were trapped. "Free!" <-- sounds like a hawker trying to get you to sample their wares.

i ask "are u busy this weekend" just as much as i say "are u free this weekend" teacher needed more context

"Free" can definitely have different meanings depending on the context. Like, if someone asks, "Are you free right now?" they usually mean available (so the opposite would be busy). But if you're talking about freedom, then trapped makes sense! I remember getting confused by this too once I told my friend I felt "free" after finishing exams, and they joked, "So you’re not busy anymore?" 😂 It took me a second to realize they interpreted it differently. Your teacher isn’t wrong, but you’re right that context matters! Maybe next time you could ask for clarification, like "Do you mean free as in available or free as in liberty?"

Yes, people do say "are you free?" but your teacher didn't use the whole sentence she just asked you to State the opposite of the word free (as a native speaker, I probably would have said something like expensive without the proper context)

I see what she’s saying and what you’re saying. I think her argument would be that you have the context of the class - for example, you had been learning introductions to topics relating to friendships and conversation starters. In which case, you contextually knew she meant the slang “are you free? Are you unavailable?” Etc

People ask both if you are free or if you are busy (which has more to do with the speaker, their confidence/habits and if they expect/think you are busy/free). If someone looks busy most would ask "are you busy?" And if someone looks free they would be more likely to ask "are you free?" (But this isn't a rule and some people prefer one over the other or choose for some psychological reason thinking it will change how you answer) But regardless, trapped should be accepted as an opposite of free (so should expensive or even set/fixed).

It is equally both and the meaning is understood by the context of the sentence. If the teacher didn't give you a sentence to understand the context, either interpretation is equally valid. As an American, i will generally always assume it means freedom if there is no context.

you are technically correct. your teacher's question was too vague, and there's more than one right answer to what they asked. free can mean multiple things depending on the context it can mean: having freedom, as in "hes a free man." the opposise would be enslaved or trapped costing nothing, as in "buy one get one free," the opposite being costly / having monetary value not containing something, as in "alcohol-free." (ngl idk what the opposite of this would be) or being available, as in "i have some free time on Tuesday," where the opposite is busy. so I wouldn't say your answer was necessarily wrong, since you weren't given the adequate amount of context needed in order to answer definitively. but to answer your question, yes, it's pretty common for people to ask "are you free?" as a way of saying "are you available? / do you have time?"

Yes. „Are you free on <time>” „Yes. I am not going to <action1> on <time> meaning I would be free to <action2> with you“

If someone asked me without context what the opposite of free was, I'd say something like trapped way before I'd say busy. As a contextless word, I don't think about that definition of free. That is to say, you weren't wrong. People do ask "are you free?" In my experience, it's been like at a job when someone is asking if you are able to speak with them.

Not everyone are philosophers, but it can definitely have both meanings, it could also mean at no cost.

The teacher seems to have been taken off guard. You are correct. They just weren’t prepared for the meaning you had in mind.

There’s multiple meanings of free, both the answers are correct but your teacher didn’t give enough context for that specific answer. Personally if I hear free by itself, I would think of freedom too. After all, when you ask when someone is free, it’s asking if they have time that isn’t “trapped” by other tasks.

Opposite of "free" is "costly", duh 🙄 Also, "Hey, are you busy?" is _absolutely_ another way of asking if a person is free. For a teacher they don't seem to grasp how English is actually spoken, lol.

Simply, the teacher is wrong to say an alternative correct answer is wrong.

My answer would have been 'imprisoned'

As a native speaker, "Are you busy?" is as common as, if not more common than, "Are you free?"

You are right to say context matters. But the question "are you free?" Is extremely common meaning are you available to do something. Also funnily enough if you answered "sorry I'm trapped" I would understand that as you having a prior engagement you dob't want to go to.

In the moment, *busy* would be more common in the US, where I’m a native speaker. *Free* would usually be about something in the more distant future. They both are asking the same question, but in different social and situational contexts.

People do ask it that way ("are you free?" meaning "are you available?", that is). But it's also weird to insist that it's the ONLY use of the term.

This is interesting obviously you are right that free as in freedom, the opposite is trapped. But the more interesting question is, do people ask if you're free or ask if you're busy. I would say if you are in a working environment it is assumed you are working. So if someone needs you they ask if you are busy. If you are in a non-working environment, people will ask if you are free. I am American so I can only speak about American culture. And for the most part when asked a question you don't only want to think of the literal words but the goal of the question. So they are trying to confirm their assumptions.

Two different senses of free. It is common and normal for people to ask “are you free tomorrow/next week/whatever to do X?” Free as the opposite of trapped is a bit more abstract and I can’t think of a time when that would be normal to ask outside of specific contexts of things like games (“Are you free to help me attack that guy’s bases or are you preoccupied?”)

Your teacher is short-sighted. "Free" can mean "not busy" or "available;" so "unavailable" could be an opposite. An opposite could be "trapped" or "enslaved."

“Free” does imply the opposite of “trapped”, but I’m not sure it’s the most natural general antonym - trapped implies someone has illicitly or erroneously entrapped you, or that you have been trapped by misfortune. A more natural antonym for the sort of thing theme you are thinking of would be “oppressed” as this is the opposite of the general concept of “freedom”. My mind definitely went to the concept of “freedom” when I heard “free”, though, not to being mundanely busy as your teacher suggested. That’s just me, though.

Alternatively, you could make the argument that expensive is the opposite of free in another context.

Free has many meanings and thus many different opposites.  “Are you free?” “No, it’s going to cost you.”

Yes but not as often as someone would use it to mean "at liberty" or "having freedom." You were totally right!

"Free" on it's own most often means "available without paying", so I'd expect most people would actually answer "expensive". Maybe if you asked "What's the opposite of being free?" I might have answered "being busy". If you asked "What's the opposite of freedom?" I might have said "slavery" or something like that. But you're 100% right, it's totally context based. None of these are any sort of "best answer"

If she had asked me i would have said something like trapped or imprisoned. It needs context. Yes people ask "are you free?" If they want to make plans with you, but that isn't the default definition. It was a bad question.

Many nuances and layers. Free/ enslaved; free/ unencumbered; free/ unscheduled; free / costly. Your teacher can't go with just one meaning.

What is the opposite of love? Hate, or indifference? These are questions of philosophy, not grammar.