Phrasal Verbs

Nivel: Intermedio.
Explicacin en espaol para todos los lectores.
Bsicamente un Phrasal Verb es un verbo compuesto que puede ser Separable
o No-Separable.
(sb.) = Somebody.
(sth.) = Something.
Hay 4 tipos principales de Verbos Compuestos.

1. Verbo + Partcula (Phrasal Verb)

e.g. Break down, grow up.
His marriage BROKE DOWN
He GREW UP in the country.
*El verbo y la particular son inseparables. Estos tipos de verbos son
intransitivos es decir, el verbo no toma un objeto. En otras palabras el verbo no
afecta a alguien o algo ms. Es una situacin que slo ocurre. En el enunciado
The Light went out (Se fue la luz), went out no se puede separar. La luz slo se
fue, nadie hizo que se fuera.
2. Verbo + Partcula + Objeto // Verbo + Objeto + Partcula (Phrasal

Verb)
e.g. Bring (sb.) up, take (sth.) up.
My grandmother BROUGHT me UP.
Id like to TAKE UP driving seriously.
*El verbo y la particular son separables. Si el objeto es un pronombre (e.g.
me, you, him, her, it, us, them), ste DEBE ir entre el verbo y la partcula.

3. Verbo + Preposicin + Objeto (Prepositional Verb)

e.g. Come across sb./sth., look after sb./sth.
I came across some photos recently.
We are looking after the neighbours dog.
*El objeto debe ir justo despus de la preposicin.
4. Verbo + Partcula + Preposicin + Objeto (Prepositional Verb)
e.g. come up with (sth.), look down on (sb.)
We need to come up with some ideas for marketing the product.
*El objeto debe ir justo despus de la preposicin.
Como s cuando una combinacin de verbos compuestos es Phrasal
verb o Prepositional Verb?
Como ya sabemos, los verbos compuestos consisten en dos partes: un verbo
base (bring, come, take) y una partcula (up, down off etc).

En un Prahasal verb el verbo compuesto tiene un significado muy

diferente a cada una de las palabras por separado
Give up significa rendirse (Give dar, Up arriba)
Blow up significa explotar (Blow soplar, Up arriba)
En un Prepositional Verb el verbo base mantiene su significado y la
partcula sirve como intensificador o para especificar la accin.
Please look after the kids (look after cuidar, ver q los nios estn bien)
I came across some photos (come across encontrar algo por accidente.
Literalemte vine y encontr algo)
Algunos verbos:

Break down Romperse, dejar de funcionar

bien.
His marriage broke down.
Break in / Entrar en un edificio a la fuerza.
Break into sth He broke into a house.
Bring (sb) up Cuidar y educar a un nio.
Jamie was brought up un the
country.
Bring (sth) up Mencionar algo o empezar a
hablar de un suceso.
Working in a team can bring up
new ideas.
Build (sth) up Incrementar.
They can build up their confidence
gradually.
Carry on with Continuar.
(sth) I wish Id carried on with my
education.
Carry (sth) out Hacer, llevar acabo.
Scientists are carring out
experiments.
Catch on to Entender.
(sth) He catches on to new ideas
quickly.
Come across Encontrar algo a alguin por
(sb/sth) accidente.
She came across a phone she
used to own.
Come through Tener xito despus de momentos
difciles.
Ive had my share of problems,
but Ive come through.
Come up Mencionarse o sugerirse.
Four names came up again and
again.
Come up with Pensar en, inventar.

(sth) The company has come up with a

new gadget.
Cope with Lograr hacer algo que es difcil.
(sth) It was difficult to cope with the
lack of Light.
Deal with (sth) Actuar para resolver un problema.
You have a problem? Well, you
need to deal with it.
Drop out Detener una actividad antes de
que se termine.
I dropped out in the first round.
Eat out Salir a comer.
I eat out most evenings.
End up Caer en una situacin a la que no
se quera llegar.
We might end up forgetting how
to talk to one another.
Face up to Aceptar una situacin difcil y
(sth) tratar de sobrellevarla.
You need to face up to problems.
Fall out with Discutir.
(sb) I fell out with my coach.
Find out about Descubrir informacin.
(sth) We found out about their plans
just in time.
Flick through Pasar rpido las pginas sin leer
(sth) cuidadosamente.
I flick through Celebrity
magazines.
Gather (sth) Acomodar las cosas en un lugar.
up I gathered up my books.
Get (sth) Explicar, comunicar algo.
across He gets new ideas across to
students.
Get down to Empezar a hacer algo seriamente.
(sth) She couldnt get down to her
homework.
Get on Progresar, tener xito.
To get on in life, you need clear
goals.
Get on with Tener una Buena relacin con
(sb) alguin.
At first I got on with Mark very
well.
Get up Levantarse.
Sandy got up very late.
Give (sth) Donar.
away The shop gave away some
samples.
Give (sth) up Rendirse, dejar de hacer algo.

I gave up my job.
Go ahead Empezar a hacer algo.
May I tell them what to do? Yes,
go ahead.
Go in for (sth) Entrar en.
I went in for a competition.
Go on Suceder.
I didnt know what was going on
my flat.
Go on (doing Continuar.
sth) I went on trying.
Grow up Crecer.
He grew up in a farm.
Hit on (sth) Pensar en.
He hit on a new idea.
Keep on (ing) Continuar.
Well keep on fighting till the end.
Keep up with Estar actualizado.
(sth) I want to keep up with all the
events in the world.
Knock (sth) Destruir algo.
down The shopping center has been
knocked down.
Let (sb) down Desilusionar a alguin por no
hacer algo.
Monse will never let you down.
Live on (sth) Comer solo una cosa.
He lived on sodas and biscuits.
Look after (sb / Cuidar de.
sth) You need to look after yourself.
Look down on Sentirse superior a.
(sb) He looks down on everybody else.
Look forward Emocionarse por algo que va a
to (sth ing) pasar.
I am looping forward to the trip.
Look into (sth) Tratar de enterarse de algo.
The authorities are trying to look
into the cause of the FIRE.
Look out for Tratar de buscar algo o alguin.
(sb / sth) Look out for Mike at the party.
Look up to (sb) Admirar, respetar.
He looks up to his grandfather.
Made up of Hecho de.
(sth) This band is made up of rubber.
Make (sth) up Inventar.
Shes making it up.
Pick (sth) up Aprender.
Dont worry, youll pick it up by
trying it.
Pick (so) up Recoger.

I need to pick her up early.

Put off by (sth) Desanimarse.
I wont be put off by difficult
books.
Run out of Terminarse, acabarse.
(sth) The car stopped because it ran
out of gas.
Save up for/to Ahorrar para algo.
(sth) Im saving up to go to Canada.
Set off Empezar.
You set off a journey.
Show (sb) Mostrar al rededor de un lugar.
around Come, Ill show you around the
base.
Show (sth) off Presumir.
He loves to show off his new car.
Sneak out Salir sin que se note.
I want to sneak out this meeting.
Switch (sth) Apagar una maquina.
off Its too late, switch off the TV.
Take (sth) in Entender algo, concentrarse en.
I cant take in what he is saying.
Take off Despegar.
The plane just took off.
Take (sth) on Ser responsable por algo
I need to take on my life.
Take (sth) up Empezar a hacer algo
regularmente.
She needs to take up studying
seriously.
Turn (sth) off Apagar.
You need to turn off the radio.
Turn (sth) on Encender.
Please turn on the computer, I
need to work.
Turn out Suceder de una manera
particular, resultar en.
It turned out she was the thief.
Turn up Llegar.
When I turned up, nobody was
there.
Wear off Desaparecer gradualmente.
The printing wore off.
Work (sth) out Decir calcular algo.
Its hard to work out anything
from his face.