Expert · Sound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes · topic 39 of 59 · 16 min
Phrasal verbs for daily life
Explanation
A phrasal verb is a verb + a small word called a particle (छोटा शब्द), such as up, down, on, off, in, out, for or after. Together they make a new meaning. "Look" means देखना, but "look after" means देखभाल करना and "look for" means ढूँढना. Learn each one as a single new word, not as two separate words.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Hindi | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| wake up | stop sleeping | जागना | I wake up at six. |
| get up | leave your bed | बिस्तर से उठना | I get up at quarter past six. |
| put on | wear (clothes, shoes, glasses) | पहनना | Put on your jacket. It's cold. |
| take off | remove clothes; a plane leaves the ground | उतारना / उड़ान भरना | Please take off your shoes. |
| turn on | start a light or machine | चालू करना | Turn on the AC, please. |
| turn off | stop a light or machine | बंद करना | Did you turn off the geyser? |
| look for | try to find | ढूँढना | I'm looking for my phone. |
| look after | take care of | देखभाल करना | She looks after her grandmother. |
| find out | learn a fact | पता लगाना | Let me find out the train timing. |
| give up | stop trying; stop a habit | हार मानना / छोड़ देना | He gave up sugar last year. |
| run out of | have nothing left | ख़त्म हो जाना | We've run out of gas. |
| get along with | have a friendly relationship | अच्छी बनना | I get along with my neighbours. |
| pick up | lift; go and collect someone | उठाना / लेने जाना | I'll pick you up at eight. |
| drop off | take someone and leave them somewhere | छोड़ना | Drop me off at the gate. |
| come back | return | वापस आना | Come back soon! |
| call back | return a phone call | वापस फ़ोन करना | I'll call you back. |
| hang up | end a phone call | फ़ोन रखना / काटना | Please don't hang up. |
| figure out | understand or solve | समझ लेना / हल निकालना | I can't figure out this app. |
| set up | arrange or install | लगाना / सेट करना | Can you set up my new phone? |
Can the phrasal verb split?
Many phrasal verbs are separable (अलग हो सकने वाले). With a noun, both orders are fine: "turn off the light" or "turn the light off". With a pronoun (it, them, him, her, me), the small word must go after it: "turn it off", "pick them up", never "turn off it". Some phrasal verbs never split: look for, look after, get along with, run out of, come back. Say "look after her", not "look her after".
I wake up at six, but I get up at six thirty.
Say it: ai WAYK UP at SIKS, but ai get UP at siks THUR-tee
मैं छह बजे जाग जाता हूँ, पर साढ़े छह बजे बिस्तर से उठता हूँ।
Wake up = your eyes open. Get up = you leave the bed.
Please turn off the fan before you leave.
Say it: pleez turn OFF the FAN bi-FOR yoo LEEV
जाने से पहले कृपया पंखा बंद कर देना।
Many of us say "close the fan" or "open the light". Abroad, say turn on / turn off (or switch on / switch off) for lights, fans and machines.
I'm looking for my keys. Have you seen them?
Say it: aim LUK-ing for my KEEZ. hav yoo SEEN them?
मैं अपनी चाबियाँ ढूँढ रहा हूँ। तुमने कहीं देखी हैं?
Could you pick me up from the station?
Say it: kud yoo PIK mee UP from the STAY-shun?
क्या तुम मुझे स्टेशन से ले सकते हो?
Pick up = go and collect someone. Drop off = take someone and leave them somewhere.
We've run out of milk. I'll get some.
Say it: weev run OWT ov MILK. ail GET sum
दूध ख़त्म हो गया है। मैं ले आता हूँ।
I get along well with my new roommate.
Say it: ai get a-LONG WEL with my NYOO ROOM-mayt
मेरी अपने नए रूममेट से अच्छी बनती है।
Sorry, I missed your call. I'll call you back in ten minutes.
Say it: SOR-ee, ai MIST yor KAWL. ail KAWL yoo BAK in TEN MIN-its
माफ़ करना, तुम्हारा फ़ोन छूट गया। मैं दस मिनट में वापस फ़ोन करता हूँ।
Don't give up. You'll figure it out.
Say it: DOHNT giv UP. yool FIG-er it OWT
हार मत मानो। तुम इसका हल निकाल लोगे।
In speech, the small word usually carries the stress: give UP, figure it OUT, turn it OFF.
Need help?
Stuck on a word or an idea? Search this course, or every course, and jump straight to the explanation or a worked question.
Try:
Watch the lesson
Phrasal verbs for daily life · 1/7
Hello! Today we learn phrasal verbs for daily life: a verb plus a small word like up, off or out.
Prefer a video by a teacher? Find free videos on “daily use phrasal verbs spoken english in hindi” on YouTube ↗
In real life: A busy morning at home
Mother: Riya, wake up! It's already seven. Riya: I'm awake, Mummy. I'll get up in two minutes. Mother: Put on your uniform quickly. Papa will drop you off at school today. Riya: I can't find my ID card. I've been looking for it everywhere. Mother: Look on the table. And turn off the geyser, please. Riya: Found it! Mummy, we've run out of bread. Mother: Okay, I'll pick some up on my way back from the market. Riya: Thanks! I'll come back at four. Bye!
Practice (0/4 done)
Say this request naturally.
Could you turn off the fan and pick up my phone from the table?
क्या तुम पंखा बंद करके टेबल से मेरा फ़ोन उठा दोगे?
Listen and type the sentence.
Describe your morning and evening in six sentences. Use at least six different phrasal verbs from the table.
Which is correct?
Quick quiz
Related help
Before this, learn
This topic builds on these. If something here feels new, open them first.
Related topics
- Phrasal verbs for work and studySound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes · same module
- Idioms: Indian favourites and international onesSound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes · same module
- Indian-English word choices and natural fixesSound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes · same module
- Simple past: talking about yesterdayNow, yesterday and tomorrow
- Sentence stress, linking and intonationClear pronunciation and listening
- Shadowing and thinking in EnglishFluency and confidence
Questions people ask about this
Open a question to see the answer and why. The first ones are this topic's own quiz, so try the quiz above before you peek.
"I gave up smoking last year" means...
Answer: I stopped smoking.
Give up = stop a habit or stop trying.
Complete: "Can you ___ my bag while I buy the tickets?"
Answer: look after
Look after = take care of, keep safe. Look for = search.
Which sounds natural to any English speaker?
Answer: Please turn on the fan.
For lights, fans and machines, use turn on / turn off (or switch on / switch off).
Complete: "We've ___ sugar. Can you buy some?"
Answer: run out of
Run out of = have none left.
"I'll drop you off at the metro station" means...
Answer: I'll take you there and leave you.
Drop off = take someone in your vehicle and leave them at a place.
Which is standard for a form in British and Indian English?Related
Answer: Please fill in this form.
Fill in (UK, India) or fill out (US). "Fill up a form" is heard in India but sounds odd abroad.
Complete: "The weather ___ nice today."Related
Which is natural English?Related
Answer: I have a question.
"Have" for owning a doubt/question is a state: "I have a question."
Complete: "Yesterday, she ___ a letter to her friend."Related
Pass the quiz (60% or more) or mark this topic as done when you are ready.
Your progress is saved on this device only.
Next steps
- 4 more topics in “Sound natural: phrasal verbs, idioms and Indian-English fixes” before its exam: Phrasal verbs for work and study, Idioms: Indian favourites and international ones, Indian-English word choices and natural fixes, Indian-English grammar slips and fixes.
- Module 10 exam: sound natural · 15 questions · 20 min, without help. 5 topics of this module still to finish first.
- Then the next module, Clear pronunciation and listening. 59 topics left in the course before the final exam.