50 Essential Phrasal Verbs for Daily Conversation
Master natural English with these 50 essential phrasal verbs for daily conversation. Improve your fluency and sound like a native with practical examples and easy explanations!
Introduction
Let’s be honest—English can be tricky, right? Especially when those sneaky little phrasal verbs pop up in conversations. You might know the words “get” and “up” separately, but when someone says “get up,” suddenly, it means something totally different! That’s the magic (and headache) of phrasal verbs.
But don’t worry, I’ve got your back! In this article, we’ll dive into 50 Essential Phrasal Verbs for Daily Conversation that will help you speak more naturally, understand others better, and—let’s be real—impress your friends or colleagues.
Ready to level up your English? Let’s roll!
What Are Phrasal Verbs Anyway?
Phrasal verbs are combinations of verbs and prepositions or adverbs that create a whole new meaning. Think of them like mini expressions glued together.
For example:
✅ Look up = Search for information
✅ Run into = Meet by chance
✅ Give up = Stop trying
These phrases make your English sound more relaxed and fluent, just like a native speaker. And guess what? They’re everywhere—in movies, songs, daily chats—you name it!
50 Essential Phrasal Verbs for Daily Conversation
Here’s a goldmine of practical phrasal verbs you’ll hear all the time. Buckle up and get ready to sprinkle them into your own conversations!
1. Get up
Meaning: Rise from bed
“I get up at 7 a.m. every day.”
2. Wake up
Meaning: Stop sleeping
“Wake up! You’re going to be late.”
3. Turn on
Meaning: Activate or switch something on
“Can you turn on the TV?”
4. Turn off
Meaning: Deactivate or switch off
“Don’t forget to turn off the lights.”
5. Sit down
Meaning: Take a seat
“Please sit down and relax.”
6. Stand up
Meaning: Rise to your feet
“Everyone, stand up for the national anthem.”
7. Pick up
Meaning: Collect or lift something
“Can you pick up the kids from school?”
8. Drop off
Meaning: Leave someone or something somewhere
“I’ll drop you off at the station.”
9. Come in
Meaning: Enter a place
“Come in, the door’s open.”
10. Go out
Meaning: Leave home for leisure or errands
“We’re going out for dinner tonight.”
More Must-Know Phrasal Verbs for Everyday Chats
11. Look after
Meaning: Take care of
“Can you look after my cat while I’m away?”
12. Look for
Meaning: Search for
“I’m looking for my keys.”
13. Look forward to
Meaning: Be excited about something
“I look forward to our meeting.”
14. Run out of
Meaning: Have no more of something
“We’ve run out of milk.”
15. Bring up
Meaning: Mention a topic
“She brought up an interesting point.”
16. Calm down
Meaning: Relax after being angry or stressed
“Calm down, it’s not a big deal.”
17. Break down
Meaning: Stop functioning (machines) or get emotionally upset
“My car broke down on the highway.”
18. Cheer up
Meaning: Become or make someone happier
“Cheer up, tomorrow’s another day.”
19. Give up
Meaning: Stop trying
“Don’t give up on your dreams.”
20. Carry on
Meaning: Continue
“Please carry on with your story.”
Everyday Phrasal Verbs You Can’t Live Without
21. Get along (with)
Meaning: Have a good relationship
“Do you get along with your neighbors?”
22. Make up
Meaning: Reconcile after an argument
“They finally made up after their fight.”
23. Put on
Meaning: Dress or wear something
“Put on your jacket, it’s cold.”
24. Take off
Meaning: Remove clothing or for planes to depart
“The plane takes off at 8 p.m.”
25. Find out
Meaning: Discover or learn something new
“I found out the answer yesterday.”
26. Come over
Meaning: Visit someone’s place
“Do you want to come over for coffee?”
27. Get by
Meaning: Manage or survive
“I can get by with basic Spanish.”
28. Catch up (with)
Meaning: Get to the same point or update each other
“We should catch up soon.”
29. Hold on
Meaning: Wait
“Hold on a second, I’ll be right there.”
30. Hang out
Meaning: Spend time relaxing
“Let’s hang out this weekend.”
Keep Going: More Phrasal Verbs to Master
31. Go on
Meaning: Continue
“The show must go on.”
32. Break up
Meaning: End a relationship
“They broke up after five years.”
33. Call off
Meaning: Cancel
“The event was called off due to rain.”
34. Cut off
Meaning: Interrupt or disconnect
“The electricity was cut off.”
35. Do over
Meaning: Repeat something
“You’ll have to do the test over.”
36. Figure out
Meaning: Solve or understand
“I can’t figure out this puzzle.”
37. Give in
Meaning: Surrender or accept defeat
“He finally gave in to the pressure.”
38. Go over
Meaning: Review
“Let’s go over the details again.”
39. Let down
Meaning: Disappoint
“I won’t let you down.”
40. Look out
Meaning: Be careful or watch out
“Look out for that car!”
Last But Not Least: Top 10 You’ll Hear Every Day
41. Put off
Meaning: Postpone
“We had to put off the meeting.”
42. Set up
Meaning: Arrange or organize
“I’ll set up the conference room.”
43. Show up
Meaning: Arrive
“He didn’t show up to the party.”
44. Take care of
Meaning: Look after
“I’ll take care of everything.”
45. Turn up
Meaning: Appear or increase the volume
“He finally turned up.”
46. Work out
Meaning: Exercise or find a solution
“Everything will work out fine.”
47. Back up
Meaning: Support or make a copy
“Make sure you back up your files.”
48. Bring back
Meaning: Return something
“Please bring back my book.”
49. Check in
Meaning: Register or report
“We checked in at the hotel.”
50. Check out
Meaning: Leave or examine
“You should check out that new café.”
FAQ: 50 Essential Phrasal Verbs for Daily Conversation
Why are phrasal verbs so tricky?
Because their meanings often have nothing to do with the individual words! It’s like learning a new word entirely.
How can I memorize these phrasal verbs?
Use them in your daily life. Speak them, write them, even sing them! The more natural they feel, the easier they’ll stick.
Are phrasal verbs only for casual conversation?
Mostly, yes. But many appear in business and formal situations too. Native speakers love them everywhere!
What happens if I don’t use phrasal verbs?
You’ll still be understood, but your English may sound robotic or too formal. Phrasal verbs make you sound real and relatable.
Conclusion: Time to Speak Like a Native!
Phew, we made it! You’ve just unlocked 50 Essential Phrasal Verbs for Daily Conversation, your secret weapon for sounding fluent, confident, and natural.
Sure, they seem tricky at first, but with practice, you’ll be throwing them into your chats like a pro. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there, speak up, hang out with English speakers, and most importantly—don’t give up.
Remember, fluency isn’t about perfection, it’s about connection.
Now go on, practice these phrasal verbs today—your English will thank you! 🎉
