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: Resultarse

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