Phrasal verbs with meaning and examples: 48 common ones you will really hear
A phrasal verb is a verb plus a small word (“give up”, “look after”), and the meaning is often new. Native speakers use them all the time. Here are 48 of the most common, grouped by situation, with an example you can say aloud, the one rule about separable verbs, and a 5-minute drill.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 8 min read
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48 common phrasal verbs by situation
Work and study
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| carry out | do or complete (a plan, a task) | “We carried out a survey last month.” |
| figure out | understand or solve | “I can’t figure out how this tool works.” |
| follow up | contact again to check or continue | “I’ll follow up with you on Friday.” |
| look into | investigate | “We’re looking into the problem.” |
| set up | arrange, create or install | “Could you set up a meeting for Monday?” |
| take on | accept (work or responsibility) | “She took on a new project.” |
| hand in | give (homework, a report) | “Please hand in your essay by noon.” |
| go over | check or review | “Let’s go over the numbers again.” |
| put off | delay | “Don’t put off the call any longer.” |
| catch up | reach the same level or share news | “I need to catch up on my emails.” |
| run out of | have no more of | “We’ve run out of time.” |
| back up | support or save a copy | “Please back up your files.” |
Everyday life
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| wake up | stop sleeping | “I wake up at six every day.” |
| get up | leave your bed | “He gets up late on Sundays.” |
| turn on / turn off | start / stop a machine or light | “Please turn off the lights.” |
| pick up | collect or lift | “I’ll pick you up at eight.” |
| drop off | leave someone or something somewhere | “Can you drop me off at the station?” |
| clean up | make tidy | “Let’s clean up the kitchen.” |
| throw away | put in the bin | “Don’t throw away the box.” |
| try on | wear to check the fit | “Can I try on this jacket?” |
| sign up | register | “I signed up for a yoga class.” |
| eat out | eat at a restaurant | “We eat out on Fridays.” |
| work out | exercise; or find a solution | “I work out three times a week. / Things worked out well.” |
| hang out | spend time relaxed with friends | “We usually hang out after school.” |
People and feelings
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get along (with) | have a good relationship | “I get along with my team.” |
| look after | take care of | “She looks after her grandmother.” |
| look up to | respect and admire | “I look up to my teacher.” |
| let down | disappoint | “I don’t want to let you down.” |
| cheer up | become happier | “Cheer up! It’s only a small mistake.” |
| calm down | become less angry or nervous | “Take a breath and calm down.” |
| break up | end a relationship | “They broke up last year.” |
| ask out | invite on a date | “He asked her out for dinner.” |
| fall out (with) | have an argument and stop being friends | “She fell out with her cousin.” |
| count on | depend on | “You can count on me.” |
| open up | talk about your feelings | “He finds it hard to open up.” |
| get over | recover from | “It took me a week to get over the flu.” |
Travel and plans
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| check in / check out | register at / leave a hotel or airport | “We checked in at four.” |
| set off | start a journey | “We set off at dawn.” |
| take off / land | a plane leaves the ground / arrives | “The flight takes off at nine.” |
| get on / get off | enter / leave a bus, train, plane | “Get off at the next stop.” |
| look forward to | be excited about the future | “I’m looking forward to the trip.” |
| call off | cancel | “They called off the match because of rain.” |
| come up with | think of (an idea) | “We came up with a good plan.” |
| end up | finally be in a place or situation | “We ended up in a small café.” |
| show up | arrive | “He didn’t show up on time.” |
| give up | stop trying | “Don’t give up on your English.” |
| keep on | continue | “Keep on practising every day.” |
| run into | meet by chance | “I ran into an old friend.” |
Separable or not? The one rule
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Separable | The object can go in the middle or after. A pronoun (it, them, me) must go in the middle. | “Turn off the light” · “Turn the light off” · “Turn it off” (not “turn off it”) |
| Inseparable | The object always comes after. | “Look after the kids” · “Look after them” (not “look the kids after”) |
| No object | Nothing follows. | “The plane took off.” · “He didn’t show up.” |
Tip: when you learn a new one, learn it with an object: “put off a meeting”, “look after children”. A dictionary marks them as separable or inseparable.
One verb, many meanings
| Phrasal verb | Meanings |
|---|---|
| take off | 1) a plane leaves the ground · 2) remove clothes · 3) become successful (“Her business took off.”) |
| pick up | 1) lift · 2) collect someone · 3) learn easily (“I picked up some Spanish.”) |
| work out | 1) exercise · 2) solve (“I worked out the answer.”) · 3) end well (“It worked out.”) |
| get over | 1) recover (“get over a cold”) · 2) finish a hard task (“get it over with”) |
Phrasal verbs sound natural, formal verbs sound stiff
| Formal | Natural spoken English |
|---|---|
| postpone | put off |
| cancel | call off |
| tolerate | put up with |
| discover | find out |
| depend on | count on |
| arrive | show up |
| continue | carry on / keep on |
A 5-minute drill
- Pick 6 phrasal verbs from one group above.
- Write one personal sentence for each (“I need to catch up on my sleep.”).
- Say all six aloud in a story: “This week I had to take on a new project, so I put off…”.
- Record and listen: did you stress the particle? In “turn it OFF” the particle is stressed.
- Review tomorrow and add six more. Use each one in a real conversation within two days.
For natural expressions in speech, see English slang words and daily English sentences. To use them in conversation, try an AI tutor.
Frequently asked questions
What is a phrasal verb?
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or two small words (particles) such as up, out, off or in. The combination often has a meaning that you cannot guess from the parts, for example “give up” means stop trying.
How many phrasal verbs should I learn?
Start with about 50 of the most common. Learn six a day in groups and use them in sentences. Quality and use matter more than a long list.
What is a separable phrasal verb?
It is one where the object can go between the verb and the particle: “turn the light off”. If the object is a pronoun, it must go in the middle: “turn it off”.
Are phrasal verbs formal or informal?
They are common in speech and informal writing. In very formal writing, a single verb such as “postpone” may be preferred over “put off”.
How can I remember phrasal verbs?
Group them by topic, learn them in full sentences, say them aloud, and use each one in a real conversation within two days. Review after a day and a week.
Use phrasal verbs in real conversation
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