What is a phrasal verb?
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or adverb that creates a completely new meaning. "Look" means to see, but "look after" means to care for and "look up to" means to admire. The meaning changes entirely.
Phrasal verbs are every Spanish speaker's nightmare when learning English. Nobody teaches them in class, but native speakers use them constantly. This guide covers 25 of the most important ones organized by situation — with real examples, translations, and notes on British English.
Work & career
Essential phrasal verbs for meetings, emails, and everyday professional life.
Use it after an interview or sending your CV: a short follow-up message three or four days later shows interest and sets you apart from most candidates.
You will see it in instructions and protocols: risk assessments, inspections, landlord repairs. If your job involves checklists or safety rules, "carry out" will appear in almost all of them.
Key with schedules: if your manager says "let's put it off until Monday", the meeting is not cancelled — just moved. It also works for GP appointments and council paperwork.
Key in interviews and annual reviews: saying "I'm happy to take on more responsibility" is the standard formula for asking to grow in your role without sounding demanding.
Listen for it with important documents: work contracts, tenancy agreements, quotes. If your company or landlord "draws up a contract", always ask to read it calmly before signing.
Beyond resigning, you will use it for anything formally submitted: council forms, visa documents, or your children's homework at school.
You will need it in your first weeks in the UK: "set up a bank account", "set up a direct debit", "set up an appointment". It is the verb for starting anything.
The magic phrase on customer service calls: "Who deals with refunds?" gets you straight to the right person without detours or pointless transfers.
This is just one piece. Real English isn't learned in lists — it's learned by living it.
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Why phrasal verbs matter so much
One phrasal verb every 192 words
In real English, a phrasal verb appears on average once every 192 words. It is impossible to follow an everyday conversation without them: they are everywhere, even though they are rarely taught in class.
Source: Gardner & Davies (2007), British National Corpus.
4-5 times more frequent in speech
Phrasal verbs are 4 to 5 times more frequent in spoken English (around 5,200 per million words) than in academic writing (around 1,200 per million). That is why textbook English sounds different from street English.
Source: Biber et al. (1999), Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English.
A short list covers most of them
You do not need to learn the thousands that exist. The 150 most frequent phrasal verbs cover around 75% of all occurrences in a corpus of more than 450 million words. That is why this guide focuses on the most used ones, not an endless list.
Source: PHaVE List, Garnier & Schmitt (2015), Corpus of Contemporary American English.
Daily life
The phrasal verbs you will hear every day on the street, at home, and in casual conversations.
Use it in Monday small talk or when discussing routines with flatmates: "I woke up late" explains half your morning without needing any more grammar.
A house-share essential: posting "we've run out of washing-up liquid" in the flat group chat prevents half of all domestic conflicts before they start.
It is the verb for the big searches: "I'm looking for a room", "I'm looking for a job". You will write it in ads and say it at agencies constantly.
It comes up in any conversation about habits: quitting smoking, coffee, the January gym. And it is the phrase for encouraging someone: "don't give up".
The verb of shared living: cleaning rotas, notes in the office kitchen, "clean up after yourself" signs in common rooms. You will see it written everywhere.
Essential in a new home: the boiler, the heating, the meter. When you call the landlord about a fault, they will ask if you tried "turning it off and on again".
It also covers errands and parcels: "pick up a parcel", "pick up some milk on the way home". One verb for half of your daily logistics.
Adopt it early: it works for paperwork, faults, misunderstandings, and plans. "I'll sort it out" makes you sound proactive at work — and very local in any conversation.
This is just one piece. Real English isn't learned in lists — it's learned by living it.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a phrasal verb in English?
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and one or two particles (a preposition or adverb) that together create a new meaning. For example, "give up" (to stop trying) means something completely different from "give" (to hand something over). Phrasal verbs are essential for natural English, especially in British contexts.
What are the most common phrasal verbs in English?
The most common English phrasal verbs include: at work — follow up, carry out, take on, set up, deal with; in daily life — wake up, run out of, look for, get on with, sort out; in social life — get on with, catch up, look after, turn up. This guide covers 25 essential phrasal verbs organised by context.
How do you learn phrasal verbs effectively?
The most effective way to learn phrasal verbs is not to memorise lists but to hear them repeatedly in real context. The brain retains vocabulary much better when it is anchored to a story or concrete situation. Spaced repetition — reviewing words just before you forget them — then consolidates the vocabulary long-term.
How many phrasal verbs do you need to speak English fluently?
English has thousands of phrasal verbs, but mastering the 25 most frequent ones will allow you to understand the vast majority of everyday conversations, especially in British contexts. Knowing the key work and daily-life phrasal verbs is enough to communicate fluently day-to-day in the UK.
Are British English phrasal verbs different from American English?
Many phrasal verbs are shared, but some have different frequencies or nuances. For example, "hand in your notice" (to resign) is the typically British expression. "Sort out" is also far more common in British English than in American English. This guide includes specific notes on the most frequent uses in British English.
Which phrasal verbs are most important for working in the UK?
For working in the UK, the most useful phrasal verbs are: follow up (to check on progress), carry out (to execute a task), put off (to postpone), take on (to accept responsibility), draw up (to prepare a document), hand in (to submit), set up (to organise or create), and deal with (to handle a problem). These come up constantly in meetings, emails, and office conversations.
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How NexSpeak teaches phrasal verbs
Memorizing lists of phrasal verbs does not work. The brain does not remember isolated data — it remembers context, emotion, and narrative.
In NexSpeak, phrasal verbs appear in 10-15 minute immersive stories with native audio. When Carlos "sorts out" a problem at work or Sofia "puts off" a difficult conversation, the meaning sticks because it is anchored to a real situation.
After each story, key structures — including phrasal verbs — become English flashcards with spaced repetition. You review them just before forgetting them.
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Conclusion
The 25 phrasal verbs in this guide are not all that exist — English has thousands. But if you master the ones on this list, you will be able to understand the vast majority of everyday English conversations, especially in British contexts.
The trick is not to memorize them but to hear them in context repeatedly. NexSpeak stories are designed exactly for that.
If you work or are looking for a job in the UK, check out our guide to professional English for the UK workplace — real phrases for interviews, emails, and meetings.
And if you live in the UK and want to understand how to learn English in real life, read our complete guide: how to learn English in the UK as a Spanish speaker.
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Social life & relationships
Essential for making plans, meeting friends, and talking about relationships.
To have a good relationship with someone; to like each other.
Llevarse bien con alguien; tener una buena relación.
Do you get on with your flatmates?
¿Te llevas bien con tus compañeros de piso?
In the UK "get on" is standard. Americans would say "get along (with)".
get on (with)
To have a good relationship with someone; to like each other.
Llevarse bien con alguien; tener una buena relación.
Do you get on with your flatmates?
¿Te llevas bien con tus compañeros de piso?
In the UK "get on" is standard. Americans would say "get along (with)".
Expect it in any chat about work, flatmates, or family. Answering "we get on really well" is the natural way to say the relationship is good.
To spend time updating each other after not seeing someone for a while.
Ponerse al día con alguien que no has visto en un tiempo.
We should catch up — it's been ages!
Deberíamos vernos y ponernos al día, ¡hace mucho que no nos vemos!
catch up (with)
To spend time updating each other after not seeing someone for a while.
Ponerse al día con alguien que no has visto en un tiempo.
We should catch up — it's been ages!
Deberíamos vernos y ponernos al día, ¡hace mucho que no nos vemos!
It is the standard formula for suggesting a vague plan: "let's catch up soon". If you want it to actually happen, reply proposing a date and place in the same sentence.
To have a disagreement with someone and stop being friendly.
Pelearse o distanciarse de alguien; dejar de llevarse bien.
They fell out over something silly.
Se pelearon por una tontería.
In the UK "fall out with someone" is much more common than "have a fight" for a non-violent argument.
fall out (with)
To have a disagreement with someone and stop being friendly.
Pelearse o distanciarse de alguien; dejar de llevarse bien.
They fell out over something silly.
Se pelearon por una tontería.
In the UK "fall out with someone" is much more common than "have a fight" for a non-violent argument.
You will hear it in stories about family, friends, and flatmates. In a close conversation, asking "have you two fallen out?" shows closeness, not rudeness.
To spend time with someone casually, without a specific plan.
Pasar tiempo con alguien sin un plan concreto; "estar de cotilleo".
We just hung out at the park all afternoon.
Nos quedamos en el parque toda la tarde.
hang out
To spend time with someone casually, without a specific plan.
Pasar tiempo con alguien sin un plan concreto; "estar de cotilleo".
We just hung out at the park all afternoon.
Nos quedamos en el parque toda la tarde.
Use it for low-pressure informal plans: "do you want to hang out this weekend?". It is the most natural way to start a friendship without proposing anything elaborate.
To end a romantic relationship.
Terminar una relación sentimental.
They broke up after three years together.
Rompieron después de tres años juntos.
break up (with)
To end a romantic relationship.
Terminar una relación sentimental.
They broke up after three years together.
Rompieron después de tres años juntos.
A delicate but unavoidable verb in close conversations. If a friend tells you "they broke up", the safe response is "I'm sorry to hear that".
To reconcile after a fight. Also: to invent something (an excuse, a story).
Reconciliarse después de una pelea. También: inventar algo (una excusa, una historia).
They fought on Monday but made up by Thursday.
Pelearon el lunes pero se reconciliaron para el jueves.
make up
To reconcile after a fight. Also: to invent something (an excuse, a story).
Reconciliarse después de una pelea. También: inventar algo (una excusa, una historia).
They fought on Monday but made up by Thursday.
Pelearon el lunes pero se reconciliaron para el jueves.
The other half of "fall out": quarrels end with "they've made up now". Also useful with children — school teachers use it constantly.
To feel excited about something that is going to happen.
Tener ganas de algo; esperar algo con ilusión.
I'm really looking forward to the weekend.
Tengo muchas ganas de que llegue el fin de semana.
UK work emails often end with "Looking forward to hearing from you" — a standard polite formula.
look forward to
To feel excited about something that is going to happen.
Tener ganas de algo; esperar algo con ilusión.
I'm really looking forward to the weekend.
Tengo muchas ganas de que llegue el fin de semana.
UK work emails often end with "Looking forward to hearing from you" — a standard polite formula.
Save it for closing plans with enthusiasm: "looking forward to it!" as a reply to an invitation confirms you are coming and sounds much warmer than a plain "ok".
To arrive or appear (sometimes unexpectedly). Very British.
Aparecer o llegar (a veces inesperadamente). Muy británico.
He turned up two hours late without explanation.
Apareció dos horas tarde sin ninguna explicación.
"Turn up" is everywhere in the UK and equals "show up" (US). "He just turned up at my door" = appeared unexpectedly.
turn up
To arrive or appear (sometimes unexpectedly). Very British.
Aparecer o llegar (a veces inesperadamente). Muy británico.
He turned up two hours late without explanation.
Apareció dos horas tarde sin ninguna explicación.
"Turn up" is everywhere in the UK and equals "show up" (US). "He just turned up at my door" = appeared unexpectedly.
Also very useful for lost objects: "my keys turned up in my coat pocket". And after a party, the classic social question is "how many people turned up?".
To tolerate or endure something or someone unpleasant.
Tolerar o aguantar algo o a alguien desagradable.
I don't know how she puts up with him.
No sé cómo lo aguanta.
put up with
To tolerate or endure something or someone unpleasant.
Tolerar o aguantar algo o a alguien desagradable.
I don't know how she puts up with him.
No sé cómo lo aguanta.
The verb for venting with friends: noisy neighbours, train delays, the weather. "I can't put up with this any more" is complaining at native level.