Grammar: Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs

In English, there are hundreds of verbs that consist of more than one word.

These verbs are:

verb + preposition (on / in / off / etc.)

These are called phrasal verbs.

A phrasal verb does not have the same meaning as a normal verb.

Here is a list of the most common phrasal verbs. It is very important that you learn these verbs as they are the key to a good First Certificate grade:

To answer back: Reponder
To apply for: Solicitar
To apologise for: Disculparse por algo
To apologise to: Disculparse a alguien
To ask in: Invitar
To believe in: Creer en
To bump into: Chocar con / encontrarse con alguien
To break down: Romperse / averiarse
To break into: Entrar a robar
To break up: Partir / romper
To call back: Volver a llamar
To call for: Pedir / venir a recoger
To care about: Preocuparse por
To catch out: Pillar alguien cuando miente
To close down: Cerrar definitivamente
To come back: Volver
To come off: Desprenderse de / Tener éxito
To concentrate on: Concentrarse en
To count on: Contar con
To count out (money): Contar dinero
To cross out: Tachar
To depend on: Depender de
To die of: Morir de
To divide into: Dividir entre
To drop out: Derramar
To fill in: Rellenar
To fill up: Llenar (deposito)
To find out: Averiguar
To get across: Lograr comunicar
To get by: Defenderse
To get off: Bajar / se
To get on: Llevarse bien con alguien / subirse a
To get out: Salir / Bajar de algo
To get up: Levantarse
To give away: Regalar / dar
To give back: Devolver algo a su dueño u origen
To give out: Distribuir / repartir
To give up: Dejar de hacer algo
To glance at: Echar una mirada
To go off: Caducar / pasarse
To go on: Continuar
To go away: Marcharse / irse alguna parte
To go with: Acompañar a / ir con
To grow up: Crecer
To hand in: Entregar en un sitio algo
To hand over: Dar personalmente algo a alguien
To hang on: Esperar
To hang up: Colgar
To hold on: Esperar / mantener en espera
To insist on: Insistir en
To invite in: Invitar a
To keep on: Mantener / seguir haciendo algo
To keep up: Llevar el ritmo de alguien
To knock over: Volcar / atropellar
To listen to: Escuchar
To look after: Cuidar de
To look for: Buscar algo
To look into: Investigar
To look out: Tener cuidado / prestar atención
To look up: Buscar (diccionario)
To make for: Dirigirse a / Encaminarse a
To make up: Hacer las paces
To meet up: Quedar / reunirse con
To pass away: Pasar a mejor vida
To play around: Dar rodeos / tontear
To point out: Señalar / destacar
To put away: Ordenar
To put down: Soltar algo / ponerlo en el suelo
To rub out: Borrar
To run into: Chocar con / tropezar con
To run over: Atropellar
To see off: Despedirse de
To show round: Enseñar algo
To show off: Hacer gala de / presumir de algo
To sort out: Arreglar / solucionar un problema
To specialise in: Especializarse en
To stand by: Contar con
To stand for: Representar / dar la cara por alguien
To stay up: No acostarse
To succeed in: Triunfar
To suffer from: Padecer de / sufrir
To talk about: Hablar sobre algo
To talk to: Hablar con alguien
To take after: Parecerse a
To take in: Recoger
To take off: Quitarse
To take on: Aceptar
To take out: Llevar fuera / extraer
To take over: Encargarse de / apoderarse de / adelantar
To take up: Empezar con una actividad
To tear up: Romper
To tell apart: Distinguir
To throw away: Tirar (basura)
To try on: Probar
To try out: Intentar / dar una oportunidad
To turn down: Rechazar
To turn off: Apagar
To turn on: Encender
To turn out: Resultar
To turn up: Aparecer
To turn round: Darse la vuelta
To wait for: Esperar
To wake up: Despertarse
To watch out: Tener cuidado
To write out: Escribir

Sometimes a phrasal verb is followed by a preposition:

To come round (faint): Volver en si
To come up against: Encontrarse con (problemas / situaciones)
To cut down on: Hacer recortes
To do away with: Acabar con / eliminar
To get on with: Llevarse bien con alguien
To get out of: Salir de un coche / lugar / problema
To get round to: Encontrar tiempo para hacer algo
To go out with: Salir con alguien
To keep up with: Seguir el ritmo de alguien
To look forward to: Tener ganas de hacer algo
To look up to: Admirar
To put up with: Aguantar
To run away from: Huir de algo
To run out of: Quedarse sin algo / salir corriendo
To stand up for: Dar la cara por alguien