Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb + one or more particles, such as up, out, on, off, or away. Their meanings are often different from the meaning of the main verb alone. Because phrasal verbs are extremely common in everyday English, learning them is essential for natural communication.

Here are 30 of the most common English phrasal verbs, with meanings and examples.

1. Get up

Meaning: To leave your bed after sleeping.
Example: I usually get up at 6:30 every morning.

2. Wake up

Meaning: To stop sleeping.
Example: I woke up because I heard a strange noise.

Difference: Wake up means stop sleeping; get up means leave the bed.

3. Sit down

Meaning: To move into a sitting position.
Example: Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.

4. Stand up

Meaning: To move into a standing position.
Example: Everyone stood up when the teacher entered the room.

5. Turn on

Meaning: To start a machine, light, or electrical device.
Example: Could you turn on the television?

6. Turn off

Meaning: To stop a machine, light, or electrical device.
Example: Please turn off the lights before you leave.

7. Put on

Meaning: To place clothing on your body.
Example: She put on her jacket because it was cold.

8. Take off

Meaning: To remove clothing; also used when an airplane leaves the ground.
Example: He took off his shoes before entering the house.
Example: The plane took off at 9:15.

9. Look for

Meaning: To try to find something or someone.
Example: I’m looking for my keys.

10. Look after

Meaning: To take care of someone or something.
Example: Can you look after my dog this weekend?

11. Look at

Meaning: To direct your eyes toward something.
Example: Look at that beautiful sunset!

12. Find out

Meaning: To discover information.
Example: I need to find out what time the store closes.

13. Give up

Meaning: To stop trying or stop doing something.
Example: Don’t give up. You are making good progress.

It can also mean to quit a habit:
Example: He gave up smoking last year.

14. Give back

Meaning: To return something to someone.
Example: Please give back my book when you finish it.

15. Pick up

Meaning: To lift something; also to collect someone or something.
Example: She picked up the phone.
Example: I’ll pick you up at the station at 7:00.

16. Put away

Meaning: To return something to its proper place.
Example: Please put away your toys when you finish playing.

17. Bring back

Meaning: To return something; also to cause someone to remember something.
Example: Please bring back my book tomorrow.
Example: That song brings back many memories.

18. Come back

Meaning: To return.
Example: What time will you come back home?

19. Go out

Meaning: To leave home, usually for entertainment or social activity.
Example: We’re going out for dinner tonight.

It can also mean to stop burning:
Example: The fire went out.

20. Come in

Meaning: To enter a room or building.
Example: Please come in and have a seat.

21. Go on

Meaning: To continue.
Example: Please go on. I’m listening.

It can also mean happen:
Example: What’s going on here?

22. Carry on

Meaning: To continue doing something.
Example: Please carry on with your work.

23. Hurry up

Meaning: To do something more quickly.
Example: Hurry up, or we’ll miss the train!

24. Slow down

Meaning: To move or happen more slowly.
Example: You’re driving too fast. Please slow down.

25. Run out of

Meaning: To use all of something so that none remains.
Example: We’ve run out of milk.

The word of is important. You say run out of something, not simply run out something.

26. Work out

Meaning: To exercise; also to solve a problem or have a successful result.
Example: I work out at the gym three times a week.
Example: Don’t worry. Everything will work out.

27. Break down

Meaning: To stop working, especially for a vehicle or machine.
Example: My car broke down on the highway.

It can also mean to analyze something into smaller parts:
Example: Let’s break down the problem.

28. Call back

Meaning: To return a telephone call.
Example: I’m busy right now. I’ll call you back later.

29. Hang up

Meaning: To end a telephone conversation.
Example: Don’t hang up. I need to tell you something.

30. Take care of

Meaning: To look after or deal with something.
Example: Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.

Important point about phrasal verbs

Some phrasal verbs are separable, meaning the object can come between the verb and particle.

For example:

Turn off the TV.
Turn the TV off.

However, when the object is a pronoun, it normally must come between them:

Turn it off.
Turn off it.

Other phrasal verbs are inseparable:

Look after the child.
Look the child after.

A useful way to learn phrasal verbs

Don’t memorize phrasal verbs as isolated vocabulary. Learn them in complete sentences and situations. For example, instead of memorizing only give up = quit, learn:

“Don’t give up. Keep trying.”

This helps you remember both the meaning and the natural grammar.

These 30 phrasal verbs are among the most useful for everyday conversations, school, work, travel, and informal English. Learning them gradually—and practicing them in sentences—will make your English sound much more natural.

英語でよく使われる30の句動詞(Phrasal Verbs)

句動詞(phrasal verb)とは、動詞 + 副詞・前置詞などの小さな語を組み合わせた表現です。例えば、get up、turn on、give upなどがあります。

句動詞は、動詞だけの意味とは違う意味になることが多く、日常英会話で非常によく使われます。そのため、自然な英語を話すためには、基本的な句動詞を覚えることがとても重要です。

1. Get up

意味: 起きる、ベッドから起き上がる
例: I usually get up at 6:30 every morning.
→ 私はたいてい毎朝6時30分に起きます

2. Wake up

意味: 目を覚ます、起きる
例: I woke up because I heard a strange noise.
→ 変な音が聞こえたので、私は目を覚ましました

ポイント:
wake up = 眠りから目を覚ます
get up = ベッドから起き上がる

3. Sit down

意味: 座る
例: Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.
→ どうぞ座って、楽にしてください。

4. Stand up

意味: 立つ
例: Everyone stood up when the teacher entered the room.
→ 先生が教室に入ってきたとき、みんな立ち上がりました

5. Turn on

意味: 電気・機械などをつける
例: Could you turn on the television?
→ テレビをつけてもらえますか?

6. Turn off

意味: 電気・機械などを消す
例: Please turn off the lights before you leave.
→ 出かける前に電気を消してください

7. Put on

意味: 服・靴などを身につける
例: She put on her jacket because it was cold.
→ 寒かったので、彼女はジャケットを着ました

8. Take off

意味: 服などを脱ぐ/飛行機が離陸する
例: He took off his shoes before entering the house.
→ 彼は家に入る前に靴を脱ぎました

例: The plane took off at 9:15.
→ 飛行機は9時15分に離陸しました

9. Look for

意味: ~を探す
例: I’m looking for my keys.
→ 私は鍵を探しています

10. Look after

意味: ~の世話をする
例: Can you look after my dog this weekend?
→ 今週末、私の犬の世話をしてもらえますか?

11. Look at

意味: ~を見る
例: Look at that beautiful sunset!
→ あの美しい夕焼けを見て

12. Find out

意味: ~を知る、調べて分かる
例: I need to find out what time the store closes.
→ その店が何時に閉まるのか調べる必要があります

13. Give up

意味: あきらめる、やめる
例: Don’t give up. You are making good progress.
あきらめないで。順調に上達しています。

また、習慣などを「やめる」という意味でも使います。

例: He gave up smoking last year.
→ 彼は去年、喫煙をやめました

14. Give back

意味: ~を返す
例: Please give back my book when you finish it.
→ 読み終わったら私の本を返してください

15. Pick up

意味: 拾う、取り上げる/迎えに行く
例: She picked up the phone.
→ 彼女は電話を取りました

例: I’ll pick you up at the station at 7:00.
→ 7時に駅へあなたを迎えに行きます

16. Put away

意味: 片づける、元の場所に戻す
例: Please put away your toys when you finish playing.
→ 遊び終わったら、おもちゃを片づけてください

17. Bring back

意味: ~を持ち帰る、返す/思い出させる
例: Please bring back my book tomorrow.
→ 明日、私の本を返してください

例: That song brings back many memories.
→ その歌を聞くと、たくさんの思い出がよみがえります

18. Come back

意味: 戻ってくる
例: What time will you come back home?
→ 何時に家に帰ってきますか

19. Go out

意味: 外出する、出かける
例: We’re going out for dinner tonight.
→ 今夜は夕食を食べに出かけます

また、「火・明かりなどが消える」という意味もあります。

例: The fire went out.
→ 火が消えました

20. Come in

意味: 入る、入ってくる
例: Please come in and have a seat.
→ どうぞ入って、座ってください。

21. Go on

意味: 続ける/起こる
例: Please go on. I’m listening.
→ どうぞ続けてください。聞いています。

例: What’s going on here?
→ ここで何が起こっているのですか

22. Carry on

意味: 続ける
例: Please carry on with your work.
→ 仕事を続けてください

23. Hurry up

意味: 急ぐ、早くする
例: Hurry up, or we’ll miss the train!
急いで!そうしないと電車に遅れます!

24. Slow down

意味: ゆっくりする、速度を落とす
例: You’re driving too fast. Please slow down.
→ 運転が速すぎます。スピードを落としてください

25. Run out of

意味: ~を使い果たす、~がなくなる
例: We’ve run out of milk.
→ 牛乳がなくなりました

ポイント:
「run out of」の of は重要です。

run out of + 名詞

例:
We ran out of water.
→ 水がなくなりました。

26. Work out

意味: 運動する/うまくいく/解決する
例: I work out at the gym three times a week.
→ 私は週3回ジムで運動します

例: Don’t worry. Everything will work out.
→ 心配しないで。すべてうまくいきます

27. Break down

意味: 故障する/問題を細かく分析する
例: My car broke down on the highway.
→ 私の車は高速道路で故障しました

また、問題を小さな部分に分けて考えるという意味もあります。

例: Let’s break down the problem.
→ その問題を細かく分析しましょう

28. Call back

意味: 折り返し電話する
例: I’m busy right now. I’ll call you back later.
→ 今は忙しいです。後で折り返し電話します

29. Hang up

意味: 電話を切る
例: Don’t hang up. I need to tell you something.
電話を切らないで。話したいことがあります。

30. Take care of

意味: ~の世話をする、~を処理する
例: Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.
→ 心配しないで。私がすべてやっておきます

句動詞で大切なポイント

一部の句動詞は、目的語を動詞と副詞の間に置くことができます。

例えば、

Turn off the TV.
→ テレビを消してください。

Turn the TV off.
→ テレビを消してください。

どちらも正しい表現です。

しかし、目的語が代名詞の場合は、通常、代名詞を動詞と副詞の間に置きます。

Turn it off.
→ それを消してください。

Turn off it.

一方、目的語を間に入れられない句動詞もあります。

Look after the child.
→ その子の世話をする。

Look the child after.

句動詞の覚え方

句動詞を単語だけで覚えるより、文章や実際の場面と一緒に覚えるほうが効果的です。

例えば、単に

give up = あきらめる

と覚えるだけではなく、

Don’t give up. Keep trying.
→ あきらめないで。挑戦し続けて。

という形で覚えると、意味だけでなく、実際の使い方も身につきます。

これら30個の句動詞は、日常会話、学校、仕事、旅行などで非常によく使われる基本表現です。少しずつ例文を使って練習すると、英語がより自然になります。

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