Phrasal verbs are the secret sauce that makes English sound natural—native speakers drop them into almost every sentence, from casual chats to work emails. This list gathers around 280 of the most common phrasal verbs you’ll actually hear and need, not the dusty ones from a textbook appendix. Whether you’re a beginner hungry for real-world expressions or an intermediate learner trying to stop translating word by word, this collection helps you understand and use these two‑part wonders with confidence.
Every entry in the interactive table comes with a plain‑English meaning, a realistic example sentence, and easy‑to‑read US IPA so you pronounce each phrasal verb clearly. Tap the play button next to any word to hear it spoken aloud—your ears need practice just as much as your eyes.
Ready to level up your English with a friendly pile of useful verb combos? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable most common phrasal verbs in English vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable most common phrasal verbs in English flashcards.
Words are great, but real English happens in chunks. Our free chunk‑based lessons turn vocabulary into speakable phrases—start with the lessons intro or jump right into Lesson 1—First Greetings to get your mouth moving.
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| Word | Meaning | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| set up | to arrange or establish something | They set up the tent quickly before sunset. | |
| settle down | calm down or establish a stable life | After years of traveling, he decided to settle down. | |
| show off | to display proudly or boastfully | He loves to show off his new car. | |
| show up | to arrive or appear, often unexpectedly | He finally showed up late for the meeting. | |
| shut down | to close or cease operations | The factory shut down due to low demand. | |
| shut up | stop talking (informal) | He told them to shut up during the movie. | |
| sign up | register for a service or activity | I signed up for the cooking class online. | |
| sit down | To move from standing to sitting. | Let's sit down and discuss the issue calmly. | |
| slow down | to reduce speed | Slow down! You're driving too fast. | |
| split up | separate from a relationship | They split up after five years of marriage. | |
| stand for | represent or tolerate | This emblem stands for peace and unity. | |
| stand out | be noticeable or remarkable | Her red dress made her stand out in the crowd. | |
| stand up | To rise from a seated position. | Everyone stood up when the judge entered. | |
| start out | to begin a journey or activity | We started out early to avoid traffic. | |
| step up | To increase effort or take more responsibility. | You need to step up your game if you want to win. | |
| take after | resemble a family member | He takes after his father with those eyes. | |
| take apart | To disassemble or criticize severely. | He took apart the engine to find the problem. | |
| take back | To return something or retract a statement. | I take back what I said earlier; I was wrong. | |
| take down | dismantle or write notes | She took down the main points during the meeting. | |
| take in | understand, deceive, or provide shelter | It took a while to take in all the information. | |
| take off | to remove clothing or for a plane to begin flight | Please take off your shoes before entering. | |
| take on | to accept a responsibility or challenge | She took on the task of organizing the event. | |
| take out | to remove something from a place or take someone somewhere | Can you take out the trash? | |
| take over | to assume control or responsibility | The new manager will take over next week. | |
| take up | To start a new hobby or occupy space/time. | She took up painting to relax after work. |
Free Most Common Phrasal Verbs in English PDF and Flashcards
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