Most Common Phrasal Verbs (With Meaning + Real Sentences)

Phrasal verbs are those tiny “verb + little word” combos (like get up, find out, turn off) that show up everywhere in American English.

You don’t need to memorize 500 of them. Start with the most common ones you’ll actually hear, learn them with short examples, and you’ll sound more natural fast.

See The Top Picks

Jump To The Full 50 List

Yak Box: What Counts As A Phrasal Verb?

A phrasal verb is a verb + a particle (like up, out, off, in) that creates a new meaning.

turn off = stop a device (not just “turn” + “off”)
find out = discover information
hang out = spend time casually

They’re super common in conversation. Formal writing often uses a “single verb” instead (like discover instead of find out).

Top Picks You’ll Use All The Time

These are the “daily drivers.” Learn these first, and you’ll hear them everywhere.

Get Up

Meaning: leave your bed; stand after sitting

Example: I get up at 7 every weekday.

Find Out

Meaning: discover; learn information

Example: I found out the meeting moved to Friday.

Turn On

Meaning: start a device; activate

Example: Can you turn on the lights?

Turn Off

Meaning: stop a device; deactivate

Example: Please turn off your phone during the movie.

Pick Up

Meaning: lift; collect someone/something; learn casually

Example: I’ll pick you up at 6.

Put Off

Meaning: delay; postpone

Example: Don’t put off the dentist appointment again.

Useful Phrases And Real-Life Sentences

Steal these. Use them. Sound like you actually live on Earth (in English).

Can you pick me up after work?
I ran out of coffee, so I’m not responsible for my mood.
Let’s hang out this weekend—nothing fancy.
Sorry I’m late. The train broke down.
I’ll call you back in five minutes.
Can you turn down the music a little?
I need to fill out this form before Friday.
We should look into cheaper internet plans.
I came across a great video about pronunciation.
Let’s set up a quick meeting for tomorrow.
She ended up choosing the blue one.
I’m trying to keep up, but you’re talking fast.

Curious Bits That Save You From Common Mistakes

Separable Vs. Inseparable (The “Pronoun Rule”)

Some phrasal verbs can split: pick up, turn off, fill out.

Big rule: If you use a pronoun (it, him, her, them), put it in the middle.

✅ Turn it off. (not: Turn off it.)
✅ Pick her up at 6.
✅ Fill it out tonight.

Some are usually inseparable: look into, run into, get along. You don’t split those.

“Look Up” Vs. “Look Up To” (Not The Same Vibe)

look up = search for information

Example: I’ll look it up.

look up to = respect/admire someone

Example: I really look up to my older sister.

“Turn Down” Has Two Common Meanings

turn down = reduce volume/heat/light

Example: Turn down the TV.

turn down = refuse an offer/request

Example: He turned down the job offer.

Tables Of Words: The Full 50 List

Each phrasal verb includes an easy meaning and three short sentences (so your brain stops panicking and starts remembering).

Daily Basics

Vocabulary	Meaning	Example 1	Example 2	Example 3
wake up	stop sleeping	I woke up early today.	Wake up—your alarm is ringing.	She wakes up at 6 a.m.
get up	leave your bed; stand up	I get up at seven.	He got up to answer the door.	Get up and stretch.
sit down	move to a seated position	Please sit down.	I sat down near the window.	We sat down to talk.
stand up	move to a standing position	Stand up straight.	Everyone stood up at once.	I stood up to leave.
go out	leave home; socialize	Do you want to go out tonight?	She went out with friends.	We don’t go out much on weekdays.
come back	return	Come back soon.	He came back from lunch.	I’ll come back later.
get back	return; regain something	What time did you get back?	I need to get back to work.	She got her phone back.
get in	enter; arrive	Get in the car.	What time did you get in?	He got in through the side door.
get out	leave; exit	Get out of the way.	We got out at the next stop.	She got out of the meeting early.
go ahead	start; continue; have permission	Go ahead and start without me.	“Can I ask?” “Yeah, go ahead.”	He went ahead and booked it.

People And Plans

Vocabulary	Meaning	Example 1	Example 2	Example 3
hang out	spend time casually	We hung out after class.	Do you want to hang out?	They hang out at that café.
come over	visit someone’s home	Come over anytime.	My cousins came over Sunday.	Can you come over after dinner?
get along	have a good relationship	I get along with my coworkers.	Do you and your brother get along?	They don’t always get along.
catch up	reach the same level; share updates	Let’s catch up this weekend.	I need to catch up on emails.	He caught up quickly in math.
call back	return a phone call	I’ll call you back soon.	She never called back.	Call me back when you’re free.
call off	cancel	They called off the meeting.	The game got called off.	We had to call it off.
show up	arrive; appear	He showed up late.	No one showed up.	A problem showed up again.
end up	finally be in a situation	We ended up staying home.	She ended up as the team lead.	I ended up loving that movie.
pick up	collect; lift; fetch someone	I’ll pick you up at 6.	Pick up your jacket.	She picked up groceries.
drop off	deliver; leave someone/something	I’ll drop you off at the station.	He dropped off the package.	Business dropped off last month.

Work And School

Vocabulary	Meaning	Example 1	Example 2	Example 3
set up	arrange; create; prepare	Let’s set up a meeting.	He set up the projector.	I set up my new account.
fill out	complete a form	Please fill out this form.	I filled it out online.	She helped me fill it out.
turn in	submit; give to someone in authority	Turn in your homework.	He turned in the report.	I turned it in early.
hand in	submit (very similar to “turn in”)	Hand in your badge at the desk.	She handed in her resignation.	We handed it in yesterday.
look over	review quickly	Can you look over my resume?	I looked it over last night.	Look over the notes before class.
carry out	do; complete (often a plan)	They carried out the plan.	We carried out a survey.	He carried it out carefully.
follow up	check again; continue a conversation	I’ll follow up tomorrow.	She followed up by email.	Let’s follow up on that idea.
bring up	mention; introduce a topic	Don’t bring up politics at dinner.	He brought up a good point.	She brought it up in the meeting.
take on	accept responsibility; hire; face	I can’t take on more work.	They took on two interns.	He took on a tough challenge.
put together	assemble; create	I put together a short presentation.	They put the table together.	She put together a great team.

Thinking And Finding

Vocabulary	Meaning	Example 1	Example 2	Example 3
look for	search	I’m looking for my keys.	She’s looking for a new job.	Look for the red sign.
find out	discover information	We found out the truth.	Find out what time it starts.	I found out by accident.
figure out	understand; solve	I can’t figure it out.	He figured out the answer.	We’ll figure out a plan.
work out	solve; become successful; exercise	It worked out in the end.	We worked out a schedule.	I work out three times a week.
look into	investigate	I’ll look into it.	They’re looking into the problem.	We looked into cheaper options.
look up	search for information	I looked up the word.	Look it up on your phone.	He looked up the address.
look up to	admire; respect	I look up to my mom.	Kids look up to teachers.	She’s someone I look up to.
run into	meet by chance; collide with	I ran into an old friend.	We ran into traffic.	She ran into a problem.
run out (of)	use up; have none left	We ran out of milk.	My patience is running out.	He ran out of time.
come across	find by chance	I came across a great book.	She came across as confident.	We came across a helpful tip.

Home, Tech, And Fixing Things

Vocabulary	Meaning	Example 1	Example 2	Example 3
put on	wear; place on something; start (music/show)	Put on your jacket.	She put on sunscreen.	Put on some music.
take off	remove; leave quickly; (plane) depart	Take off your shoes.	He took off after work.	Our flight takes off at 9.
turn on	activate a device	Turn on the heater.	She turned it on gently.	Turn on your camera.
turn off	deactivate a device; disgust someone	Turn off the lights.	He turned it off too soon.	That attitude turns people off.
turn up	increase volume/heat; appear unexpectedly	Turn up the volume.	He turned up late again.	New information turned up.
turn down	reduce volume; refuse	Turn down the TV.	She turned down the offer.	He turned it down politely.
put off	delay; postpone	We put off the trip.	Don’t put it off.	She put off calling him.
break down	stop working; lose control emotionally	My car broke down.	The printer keeps breaking down.	He broke down and cried.
calm down	become less upset	Calm down—it’s okay.	She calmed down after a walk.	I’m trying to calm down.
keep up	continue; stay at the same speed/level	Keep up the good work.	I can’t keep up with you.	Keep it up!

Quick Practice (No Stress, Just Reps)

Fill in the blank with a phrasal verb from the tables. Try first, then check the answers.

I need to __________ this form before I can apply.
We __________ of sugar, so the cake is… emotionally unavailable.
Can you __________ the music? I’m trying to focus.
I’ll __________ you __________ at the airport.
I __________ an old friend at the grocery store.
Let’s __________ a meeting for Thursday.
Please __________ your homework by 5 p.m.
I can’t __________ this math problem.
He didn’t __________, so we started without him.
I’ll __________ and see what I can find.

Answers

fill out
ran out
turn down
pick / up
ran into
set up
turn in / hand in
figure out
show up
look up

Final Yak: Learn phrasal verbs in chunks (short sentences), not as lonely dictionary entries. Your brain likes friends.