50 Phrasal Verbs Every English Learner Should Know

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A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or adverb that creates a meaning different from the original verb. “Give up” does not mean “give” in an upward direction — it means to stop trying. “Run into” has nothing to do with running — it means to meet someone unexpectedly. “Break down” is not about breaking anything — it means to stop working or to collapse emotionally.

English has thousands of phrasal verbs, but you do not need to learn them all at once. Research behind the PHaVE List by Marie Garnier and Norbert Schmitt focuses on 150 high-frequency phrasal verbs and their most common senses. The 50 below give you a practical starting point for everyday conversation, email, and media.

Why phrasal verbs matter

Phrasal verbs are everywhere in daily English. Native speakers use them constantly in conversation, emails, and casual writing — often without realizing it. If you skip them, you will understand textbook English but struggle with real conversations.

The biggest problem for translators and learners: phrasal verbs almost never translate word for word. Each combination creates a new meaning that has little to do with the individual words. As the British Council explains, knowing the individual words is often not enough to understand the phrasal verb.

A single base verb can form many different phrasal verbs. For example, “come” appears in combinations such as come up, come across, come about, and come up with — each with a distinct meaning.

How to use this list

Each entry below includes:

Meaning — A plain-English definition.
Example — A natural sentence showing how the phrasal verb is used.
Separable or inseparable — Whether you can put an object between the verb and the particle. If separable, pronouns must go in the middle: “turn it off” (not “turn off it”).
Translation tip — Guidance for translating the phrasal verb accurately.

The 50 phrasal verbs are grouped by theme so you can learn related ones together. Within each group, they range from common to slightly less common.

Tip: When you learn a phrasal verb, write down the whole expression and one natural example sentence. Memorizing the combination is more useful than memorizing the base verb alone.

50 phrasal verbs every English learner should know

Daily life

1. Wake up

Meaning: Stop sleeping; become alert.
Example: “I usually wake up at 7 a.m. on weekdays.”
Separable: No — intransitive. The transitive form (“The noise woke me up”) is separable.
Translation tip: Most languages have a direct equivalent. Watch the transitive use — it may need a reflexive or causative form.

2. Get up

Meaning: Rise from bed; stand up.
Example: “She gets up early to go running before work.”
Separable: No — intransitive.
Translation tip: Distinguish from “wake up.” You can wake up at 6 but not get up until 6:30.

3. Turn on / Turn off

Meaning: Start or stop a device, light, or system.
Example: “Can you turn off the lights before you leave?”
Separable: Yes — “Turn the TV on” or “Turn on the TV.” With pronouns: “Turn it off.”
Translation tip: Many languages use different verbs for lights, machines, and water. Choose the right one.

4. Pick up

Meaning: Lift something from a surface; collect someone; learn casually.
Example: “I’ll pick you up at the airport at 3 p.m.”
Separable: Yes — “Pick the kids up” or “Pick up the kids.”
Translation tip: This verb has many meanings. Translate based on context: “lift” for objects, “collect” for people, “learn” for skills.

5. Put on

Meaning: Place clothing on your body; apply something.
Example: “Put on a jacket — it’s cold outside.”
Separable: Yes — “Put your coat on” or “Put on your coat.”
Translation tip: Paired with “take off.” Use the dressing/undressing verb in the target language.

6. Take off

Meaning: Remove clothing; leave the ground (aircraft); leave quickly.
Example: “Please take off your shoes before entering the house.”
Separable: Yes (for clothing) — “Take your shoes off.” Intransitive for aircraft: “The plane took off.”
Translation tip: Clothing removal, aircraft departure, and sudden success (“Her career took off”) need different translations.

7. Throw away

Meaning: Discard; put in the trash.
Example: “Don’t throw away those old photos — they might be valuable.”
Separable: Yes — “Throw it away” or “Throw away the old files.”
Translation tip: Some languages distinguish between discarding and wasting. “Throw away an opportunity” is figurative.

8. Clean up

Meaning: Make a place tidy; remove mess.
Example: “We need to clean up the kitchen before the guests arrive.”
Separable: Yes — “Clean the mess up” or “Clean up the mess.”
Translation tip: Can be literal (cleaning a room) or figurative (cleaning up finances). Translate accordingly.

Communication

9. Bring up

Meaning: Mention a topic in conversation; raise a subject.
Example: “She brought up an interesting point during the meeting.”
Separable: Yes — “Bring it up” or “Bring up the issue.”
Translation tip: Do not confuse with “bring up children” (raise). Context determines the meaning.

10. Point out

Meaning: Draw attention to something; identify.
Example: “He pointed out several errors in the report.”
Separable: Yes — “Point them out” or “Point out the mistakes.”
Translation tip: Use verbs meaning “indicate” or “highlight” rather than literal pointing.

11. Speak up

Meaning: Talk louder; express your opinion.
Example: “If you disagree, speak up now.”
Separable: No — intransitive.
Translation tip: Two distinct meanings. “Speak up, I can’t hear you” (volume) versus “Speak up in meetings” (opinions). Translate the right one.

12. Talk over

Meaning: Discuss something thoroughly.
Example: “Let’s talk it over before making a decision.”
Separable: Yes — “Talk it over” or “Talk over the plan.”
Translation tip: Use “discuss” or “deliberate” equivalents. Not the same as “talk about,” which is more casual.

13. Hang up

Meaning: End a phone call; put something on a hook.
Example: “He hung up before I could finish my sentence.”
Separable: Yes (for placing on a hook) — “Hang up your coat.” Intransitive for phone calls.
Translation tip: The phone meaning persists even though we no longer “hang” phones on hooks.

14. Call back

Meaning: Return a phone call.
Example: “I missed her call, so I’ll call her back after lunch.”
Separable: Yes — “Call me back” or “Call back the client.”
Translation tip: Use the “return a call” equivalent in the target language.

Relationships

15. Get along (with)

Meaning: Have a good relationship with someone.
Example: “She gets along well with her coworkers.”
Separable: No — inseparable.
Translation tip: Many languages have specific idioms for this. Avoid literal translation — use the local expression for “have a good relationship.”

16. Ask out

Meaning: Invite someone on a date.
Example: “He finally asked her out after months of hesitation.”
Separable: Yes — “Ask her out” or “Ask out someone you like.”
Translation tip: Cultural context matters. Some languages have no direct equivalent; describe the action.

17. Break up

Meaning: End a romantic relationship.
Example: “They broke up after three years together.”
Separable: No — intransitive when used for relationships. “Break up the fight” (separable) has a different meaning.
Translation tip: Distinguish from “break down” (malfunction/emotional collapse) and “break up” (end a relationship). These require different translations.

18. Make up

Meaning: Reconcile after a disagreement; invent a story.
Example: “They had a big argument but made up the next day.”
Separable: Yes (for inventing) — “She made up the story.” Intransitive for reconciling — “They made up.”
Translation tip: Three meanings: reconcile, invent, and apply cosmetics. Translate based on context.

19. Grow up

Meaning: Become an adult; mature.
Example: “She grew up in a small town in Texas.”
Separable: No — intransitive.
Translation tip: Can be factual (“Where did you grow up?”) or a command (“Grow up!” = be more mature). Capture the right tone.

Work and study

20. Figure out

Meaning: Solve a problem; understand something.
Example: “I can’t figure out how to use this software.”
Separable: Yes — “Figure it out” or “Figure out the answer.”
Translation tip: Use “solve,” “understand,” or similar equivalents in the target language. Very common in spoken English.

21. Look into

Meaning: Investigate; examine.
Example: “The manager promised to look into the complaint.”
Separable: No — inseparable.
Translation tip: More formal than “check out.” Use “investigate” or “examine” equivalents.

22. Come up with

Meaning: Think of an idea; produce a solution.
Example: “The team came up with a creative solution to the problem.”
Separable: No — inseparable (three-word phrasal verb).
Translation tip: Use “devise,” “invent,” or “think of” equivalents. A very common business phrase.

23. Hand in

Meaning: Submit; give to someone in authority.
Example: “Please hand in your assignments by Friday.”
Separable: Yes — “Hand your essay in” or “Hand in your essay.”
Translation tip: Similar to “submit” or “turn in.” Academic and workplace contexts.

24. Go over

Meaning: Review; examine carefully.
Example: “Let’s go over the report one more time before sending it.”
Separable: No — inseparable.
Translation tip: Use “review” or “examine” equivalents. Common in academic and professional settings.

25. Keep up (with)

Meaning: Maintain the same speed or level; stay informed.
Example: “It’s hard to keep up with all the changes in technology.”
Separable: No — inseparable.
Translation tip: Two shades of meaning: matching pace (“keep up with the group”) and staying current (“keep up with the news”). Choose the right nuance.

26. Set up

Meaning: Arrange; establish; prepare equipment.
Example: “We need to set up the conference room before the meeting.”
Separable: Yes — “Set the equipment up” or “Set up the equipment.”
Translation tip: Very versatile — arranging furniture, establishing a business, or configuring technology. Context determines translation.

Practice: Rewrite this sentence in plain English: “I can’t figure out this problem, but I’ll look into it and come up with a solution.” Then compare the two versions and note what each phrasal verb adds.

Plans and decisions

27. Give up

Meaning: Stop trying; quit.
Example: “Don’t give up — you’re so close to finishing.”
Separable: Yes (transitive) — “Give up smoking” or “Give it up.” Also intransitive: “I give up.”
Translation tip: Strong emotional weight. Translate the sense of surrender, not just “stop.”

28. Put off

Meaning: Postpone; delay.
Example: “Stop putting off your homework and start now.”
Separable: Yes — “Put it off” or “Put off the meeting.”
Translation tip: Also means “discourage” (“The price put me off”). Use “postpone” for the delay meaning.

29. Call off

Meaning: Cancel.
Example: “They called off the wedding at the last minute.”
Separable: Yes — “Call it off” or “Call off the event.”
Translation tip: Stronger than “postpone.” The event is canceled entirely.

30. Turn down

Meaning: Reject an offer or request; lower volume.
Example: “She turned down the job offer because the salary was too low.”
Separable: Yes — “Turn it down” or “Turn down the offer.”
Translation tip: Two distinct meanings: rejection and volume reduction. “He turned down the music” versus “He turned down the promotion.”

31. Take on

Meaning: Accept a responsibility; hire someone.
Example: “She decided to take on the project even though she was busy.”
Separable: Yes — “Take it on” or “Take on more work.”
Translation tip: Can also mean “challenge” (“take on a competitor”). Use “accept” or “undertake” for responsibility.

32. Go ahead

Meaning: Proceed; begin.
Example: “If you’re ready, go ahead and start the presentation.”
Separable: No — intransitive.
Translation tip: Often used as permission or encouragement. Translate the intent, not the direction.

33. Carry on

Meaning: Continue doing something.
Example: “Sorry for the interruption. Please carry on.”
Separable: No — inseparable. Can take “with”: “Carry on with your work.”
Translation tip: Very British. In American English, “keep going” or “continue” are more common. Match the register of the target language.

34. Back out

Meaning: Withdraw from a commitment.
Example: “They backed out of the deal at the last minute.”
Separable: No — intransitive. Uses “of”: “back out of something.”
Translation tip: Implies breaking a promise. Stronger than “cancel.” Use “withdraw” equivalents.

Movement and travel

35. Set off

Meaning: Begin a journey; depart.
Example: “We set off early to avoid the morning traffic.”
Separable: No — intransitive when meaning “depart.” Separable when meaning “trigger”: “set off the alarm.”
Translation tip: For travel, use “depart” or “leave” equivalents. For triggering alarms, use “activate.”

36. Check in / Check out

Meaning: Register at a hotel or airport / Leave a hotel; examine something.
Example: “We need to check out of the hotel by 11 a.m.”
Separable: No — inseparable for hotel/airport use. “Check out this article” (separable, informal) means “look at.”
Translation tip: Hotel and airport terminology is usually standardized. The informal “check it out” (meaning “look at this”) needs a different translation.

37. Get on / Get off

Meaning: Board / Exit a vehicle (bus, train, plane).
Example: “We got on the bus just before it left.”
Separable: No — inseparable.
Translation tip: Some languages use different verbs for boarding buses versus cars. “Get in” is for cars; “get on” is for larger vehicles.

38. Drop off

Meaning: Take someone or something to a location; decrease.
Example: “I’ll drop you off at the station on my way to work.”
Separable: Yes — “Drop the kids off” or “Drop off the package.”
Translation tip: Paired with “pick up.” One delivers, the other collects. Use “deliver” or “leave” equivalents for the transport meaning.

39. Run into

Meaning: Meet someone unexpectedly; collide with.
Example: “I ran into my old professor at the bookstore.”
Separable: No — inseparable.
Translation tip: The accidental meeting meaning is far more common than the collision meaning. Use “bump into” or “encounter” equivalents.

40. Show up

Meaning: Arrive; appear.
Example: “He showed up 30 minutes late to the interview.”
Separable: No — intransitive.
Translation tip: Often implies surprise or judgment about timing. “She didn’t show up” carries more weight than “She didn’t come.”

Problems and solutions

41. Break down

Meaning: Stop functioning (machine); lose emotional control; divide into parts.
Example: “The car broke down on the highway during rush hour.”
Separable: No — intransitive for malfunction and emotions. Separable when meaning “divide”: “Break the problem down.”
Translation tip: Three distinct meanings require three different translations. Machine failure, emotional collapse, and analysis should each use appropriate terms.

42. Run out of

Meaning: Use up the entire supply of something.
Example: “We’ve run out of milk — can you buy some on your way home?”
Separable: No — inseparable (three-word phrasal verb).
Translation tip: Implies urgency or a problem. Use “exhaust the supply” or “have no more” equivalents.

43. Deal with

Meaning: Handle a situation; address a problem.
Example: “How do you deal with stress at work?”
Separable: No — inseparable.
Translation tip: Very common in both casual and professional English. Use “handle,” “manage,” or “address” equivalents.

44. Sort out

Meaning: Resolve a problem; organize.
Example: “We need to sort out the scheduling conflict before Monday.”
Separable: Yes — “Sort it out” or “Sort out the problem.”
Translation tip: More British than American. Americans might say “figure out” or “work out.” Use “resolve” or “organize” equivalents.

45. Look up

Meaning: Search for information in a reference source.
Example: “If you don’t know a word, look it up in the dictionary.”
Separable: Yes — “Look it up” or “Look up the definition.”
Translation tip: Do not confuse with “look up to” (admire) or “look into” (investigate). Each needs a different translation.

46. Find out

Meaning: Discover information; learn something new.
Example: “I just found out that the meeting has been moved to Thursday.”
Separable: Usually treat this as fixed in learner usage. Prefer “find out + noun/clause” or “find out about + noun”: “find out the answer,” “find out about the change.”
Translation tip: Implies discovering something previously unknown. Use “discover” or “learn” equivalents, not just “find.”

47. End up

Meaning: Finally be in a situation, often unexpected.
Example: “We got lost and ended up in the wrong part of town.”
Separable: No — intransitive.
Translation tip: Implies an unplanned result. “He ended up becoming a doctor” suggests it wasn’t the original plan. Capture that nuance.

48. Get over

Meaning: Recover from illness, disappointment, or shock.
Example: “It took her months to get over the breakup.”
Separable: No — inseparable.
Translation tip: Emotional recovery and physical recovery may need different verbs in the target language.

49. Work out

Meaning: Exercise; solve a problem; succeed.
Example: “Everything worked out in the end.”
Separable: Yes (for solving) — “Work it out.” Intransitive for exercise and success.
Translation tip: Three meanings: physical exercise, problem solving, and a situation resolving well. Choose the right one based on context.

50. Turn out

Meaning: Result in a particular way; happen to be.
Example: “The project turned out better than we expected.”
Separable: No — intransitive in this meaning.
Translation tip: “It turned out that he was right” reveals unexpected information. Use “result” or “prove to be” equivalents.

Key takeaways

Phrasal verbs are not optional — they are core vocabulary for understanding real English conversation.
Meaning comes from the combination, not the individual words. Treat each phrasal verb as a single vocabulary item.
Separable versus inseparable matters. With separable verbs, pronouns must go between the verb and particle: “Pick it up,” never “Pick up it.”
Many phrasal verbs have multiple meanings. “Take off” can mean remove clothing, aircraft departure, or sudden success. Context is your guide.
When translating, always translate the meaning, not the words. If you use a translation tool, check whether the result captures the intended sense of the whole phrase.

Common mistakes to avoid

Translating word by word. “Run out of” does not mean anything related to running. If you translate each word separately, you will confuse your reader. Always translate the phrasal verb as a unit.
Ignoring separable/inseparable rules. Saying “I looked up it” instead of “I looked it up” is a common error. With separable phrasal verbs, pronouns always go in the middle.
Mixing up similar phrasal verbs. “Look up” (search for information), “look into” (investigate), and “look after” (care for) use the same base verb but have completely different meanings. Learn the particle, not just the verb.
Using informal phrasal verbs in very formal contexts. Many phrasal verbs sound more natural in speech and everyday writing. In academic papers and official documents, single-word verbs are often a better fit: “investigate” instead of “look into,” “postpone” instead of “put off.”
Forgetting that one phrasal verb can have multiple meanings. “Make up” can mean reconcile, invent, or apply cosmetics. “Work out” can mean exercise, solve, or succeed. Always check the context before translating.

Tips for learning phrasal verbs

Learn in context, not isolation. Reading a list helps, but seeing phrasal verbs in real sentences — from articles, shows, or conversations — makes them stick. Try watching English shows with subtitles and noting phrasal verbs as they appear.
Group by particle, not just by verb. Once you notice that “out” often suggests completion or discovery (figure out, work out, find out, sort out), new combinations become easier to remember.
Practice by substitution. Take a sentence with a formal verb and replace it with a phrasal verb: “I need to investigate this” becomes “I need to look into this.” Then reverse the exercise.
Start with these 50. There are thousands of phrasal verbs, but these 50 give you a strong foundation for daily situations. Master them before chasing rare ones.
Use translation tools to verify your understanding. Type a full sentence with a phrasal verb into a context-aware translator and check whether the result captures the intended meaning. If it does not, you may have the wrong definition.

Translate phrasal verbs accurately with OpenL

Phrasal verbs are among the hardest parts of English to translate because their meanings are idiomatic, not literal. A sentence like “She ran into her ex, and things didn’t work out” contains two phrasal verbs that would make no sense if translated word for word in most languages.

Why use OpenL to check phrasal verb translations

Meaning-first output: It helps you check whether a sentence is being translated for sense, not word for word.
100+ languages supported: Covers major world languages and regional variants.
Multiple formats: You can translate PDFs, Word documents, and PowerPoint presentations while keeping formatting.
Useful for comparison: It is a quick way to compare an idiomatic translation with a more literal one.

Whether you are translating emails, academic papers, or casual conversations, OpenL can be a helpful second check, especially when a phrasal verb has more than one meaning.

FAQ

What is a phrasal verb?

A phrasal verb is a verb combined with one or more particles (a preposition or adverb) that together create a meaning different from the original verb. For example, “give” means to hand something to someone, but “give up” means to stop trying. According to the British Council, phrasal verbs have nonliteral meanings that you need to learn as complete units.

How many phrasal verbs are there in English?

Different dictionaries and studies count phrasal verbs differently, so totals vary widely. For teaching purposes, the PHaVE List by Garnier and Schmitt identifies 150 high-frequency phrasal verbs and their most common senses, which gives learners a more realistic starting point. The 50 in this article are selected from that high-utility range for everyday use.

What is the difference between separable and inseparable phrasal verbs?

Separable phrasal verbs allow the object to go between the verb and the particle: “Turn the light off” or “Turn off the light.” With pronouns, the object must go in the middle: “Turn it off.” Inseparable phrasal verbs keep the verb and particle together: “I ran into her” (never “I ran her into”). As a general rule, intransitive phrasal verbs (no object) are always inseparable.

Why are phrasal verbs so hard to translate?

Because their meaning is idiomatic, not compositional. “Look up” has nothing to do with looking in an upward direction when it means “search for information.” Translating each word separately produces nonsense. Effective translation requires understanding the intended meaning and finding an equivalent expression — or a plain verb — in the target language.

Can I use phrasal verbs in formal writing?

You can, but use them sparingly. Many phrasal verbs sound more natural in spoken English and informal writing. In academic papers, legal documents, and formal reports, single-word equivalents are usually preferred: “investigate” instead of “look into,” “postpone” instead of “put off,” “establish” instead of “set up.” That said, some phrasal verbs like “carry out” (conduct) and “set up” (establish) are widely accepted even in formal contexts.

Want more English learning resources? Explore our guide to common translation mistakes or read our tips for better translation results.