What they are
A phrasal verb is a verb + particle (up, off, out, in, on…) whose meaning is often different from the verb alone: give up = stop, put off = postpone.
Separable or inseparable?
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|
| Separable | The object can go between the verb and the particle. A pronoun must go in the middle. | Turn off the TV. / Turn the TV off. / Turn it off. (not turn off it) |
| Inseparable | The object always goes after the particle. | I look after her. / She takes after her mother. / I ran into him. |
Common phrasal verbs
- turn on / off / up / down: switch on, switch off, increase, reduce (turn down also = reject)
- put off / put on / put out / put up with: postpone, wear, extinguish, tolerate
- look for / after / up: search, take care of, check in a book
- give up · take off · break down · break up · run out of · come up with · get along · pick up
Watch out
- After give up use -ing: He gave up smoking.
- Learn phrasal verbs in context and check the meaning in a dictionary; many have more than one.
En español
Los phrasal verbs combinan verbo + partícula y suelen tener un significado nuevo. Los separables aceptan el objeto en medio (turn the TV off); si el objeto es un pronombre, debe ir en medio (turn it off). Los inseparables no se separan (look after her).
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