Verbos Frasales en Inglés: Guía para Principiantes
phrasal verbs para hablar inglés de forma natural y auténtica como un nativo.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Phrasal verbs combine a verb with a particle (like 'up' or 'out') to create a brand new meaning.
- The meaning is often idiomatic: 'give up' doesn't mean 'give' something upwards.
- Separable verbs allow objects in the middle: 'Turn the light off' or 'Turn off the light'.
- Pronouns MUST go in the middle: 'Turn it off', never 'Turn off it'.
Overview
look up.look (mirar) y up (arriba) literalmente, el significado se pierde por completo. Esta es la diferencia clave: en español, nuestro léxico es más 'latino' y directo, mientras que el inglés tiene una raíz germánica que favorece estas combinaciones idiomáticas.I will investigate the problem, dicen I will look into the problem.take significa 'tomar' o 'llevar', pero take off puede significar 'quitarse la ropa' o 'despegar' (un avión). La partícula no está ahí para indicar dirección, sino para transformar el significado del verbo original.put up with.get up es 'levantarse'. No digas 'get' y luego 'up' como si fueran dos cosas distintas; es un solo concepto.turn on the light) y otros son intransitivos (no lo necesitan, como the sun comes up).- 1Verbo + Adverbio (Separables): Puedes poner el objeto en medio. Pero ¡ojo!, si el objeto es un pronombre, *obligatoriamente* debe ir en medio.
- 2Verbo + Preposición (Inseparables): El verbo y la preposición nunca se separan. El objeto siempre va después.
- 3Verbo + Adverbio + Preposición (Inseparables): Son unidades fijas de tres palabras.
Turn off the TV | Turn it off | El pronombre DEBE ir en medio |Look after the baby | Look after him | Nunca se separan |Run out of money | Run out of it | Unidad fija |Check out this place!, no te está pidiendo que 'revises' el lugar, sino que 'le eches un vistazo' o 'lo conozcas'.Let's follow up on this email, significa que van a 'dar seguimiento' o 'dar continuidad'.- WhatsApp y redes sociales:
I'm hanging out with friends(pasar el rato). - Vida universitaria:
I need to hand in my essay(entregar un ensayo). - Situaciones de viaje:
The plane takes off at 8(el avión despega).
postpone suena muy formal, casi como un libro de texto. Un estudiante que dice put off suena como alguien que realmente vive el idioma.- 1Traducción literal (Interferencia del L1): Muchos estudiantes intentan traducir parte por parte. Ejemplo:
look uplo traducen como 'mirar arriba'. Esto pasa porque en español, si decimos 'mirar arriba', el significado es literal. En inglés, la partícula cambia el sentido. ¡Cuidado con eso! - 2Error de posición del pronombre: Es el error más común por interferencia del español. En español decimos 'apágalo' (el pronombre va unido al verbo). En inglés, el pronombre se mete entre el verbo y la partícula. Error:
Turn off it. Correcto:Turn it off. El cerebro del hispanohablante quiere poner el pronombre al final por el orden de nuestra lengua, pero en inglés el pronombre es 'magnético' y se siente atraído hacia el medio. - 3Uso de phrasal verbs en contextos académicos: A veces, el estudiante se emociona tanto con los *phrasal verbs* que los usa en un ensayo formal. En inglés, los *phrasal verbs* son informales. En un documento legal o académico, es mejor usar verbos latinos (ej.
postponeen lugar deput off).
I ran into my teacher | Significado idiomático (encontrarse por casualidad) |I ran into the room | Significado literal (entrar corriendo a un lugar) |ran sigue siendo 'correr' y into sigue siendo 'hacia dentro'.- 1¿Cómo sé si un phrasal verb es separable? No hay una regla mágica, pero la mayoría de los que son 'Verbo + Adverbio' son separables. Si tienes dudas, intenta no separarlos; es más seguro.
- 2¿Debo aprender todos los phrasal verbs? ¡No! Son miles. Enfócate en los 50 más comunes que usas en tu día a día (trabajo, comida, familia).
- 3¿Por qué a veces hay tres palabras? Son los *three-part phrasal verbs*. Funcionan como una sola unidad. No intentes separar la segunda palabra de la tercera, siempre van juntas, como
look forward to(esperar con ilusión algo).
Conjugating Phrasal Verbs (Example: 'Pick up')
| Tense | Subject | Verb Form | Particle | Object |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I
|
pick
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Present Continuous
|
She
|
is picking
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Past Simple
|
They
|
picked
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Present Perfect
|
We
|
have picked
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Future (will)
|
He
|
will pick
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Negative (Past)
|
I
|
did not pick
|
up
|
the phone
|
|
Question (Present)
|
Do
|
you pick
|
up
|
the phone?
|
|
With Pronoun
|
I
|
pick
|
it
|
up
|
Meanings
A phrasal verb is a combination of a standard verb and an adverb or preposition (a particle) that functions as a single semantic unit with a meaning distinct from its individual parts.
Literal Movement
The particle indicates a literal direction or physical action.
“She stood up when the teacher entered.”
“Please put the book down on the table.”
Idiomatic/Figurative
The combination creates a completely new meaning that cannot be guessed from the parts.
“I give up; I can't solve this puzzle.”
“We ran out of milk this morning.”
Aspectual/Completion
The particle indicates that an action is finished or done thoroughly.
“Drink up! We have to leave soon.”
“Eat up your vegetables.”
Reference Table
| Phrasal Verb | Significado | Ejemplo | Tipo (Separable/Inseparable) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
`turn on`
|
Activate
|
Please `turn on` the light.
|
Separable
|
|
`get up`
|
Rise from bed
|
I `get up` early every day.
|
Inseparable
|
|
`look after`
|
Take care of
|
She `looks after` her children.
|
Inseparable
|
|
`put off`
|
Postpone
|
Don't `put off` your homework.
|
Separable
|
|
`take off`
|
Depart (plane)/Remove (clothes)
|
The plane `took off`/`Take off` your hat.
|
Both
|
|
`call back`
|
Return a phone call
|
I'll `call` you `back` later.
|
Separable
|
|
`give up`
|
Stop trying
|
Never `give up` on your dreams.
|
Separable
|
|
`run out of`
|
Exhaust supply
|
We `ran out of` coffee this morning.
|
Inseparable
|
Espectro de formalidad
The committee decided to cancel the meeting. (Professional/Social)
They decided to call off the meeting. (Professional/Social)
They called the meeting off. (Professional/Social)
They axed the meet. (Professional/Social)
¿Qué es un 'Phrasal Verb'?
Ejemplos (Dos Palabras)
- get up rise from bed
- turn on activate
- look after take care of
Ejemplos (Tres Palabras)
- look forward to anticipate
- get along with have good relations
Características Clave
- Idiomatic meaning can't be guessed
- Informal everyday use
- Separable/Inseparable object placement
'Phrasal Verb' vs. Frase Preposicional con Verbo
¿Es un 'Phrasal Verb'?
¿Se combina el verbo con una preposición o una partícula adverbial?
¿Crea la combinación un significado nuevo, a menudo idiomático?
Phrasal Verbs Comunes por Significado
Acciones Diarias
- • get up
- • wake up
- • put on
- • take off
Comunicación
- • call back
- • speak up
- • point out
- • bring up
Resolución de Problemas
- • figure out
- • look into
- • deal with
- • work out
Relaciones
- • get along with
- • fall out
- • break up
- • make up
Ejemplos por nivel
Please sit down.
Por favor, siéntate.
I get up at 7 AM.
Me levanto a las 7 AM.
Turn off the light.
Apaga la luz.
Come in, please.
Adelante, por favor.
Can you pick up the kids?
¿Puedes recoger a los niños?
I need to fill out this form.
Necesito rellenar este formulario.
She is looking for her keys.
Ella está buscando sus llaves.
Don't give up!
¡No te rindas!
We ran out of milk.
Se nos acabó la leche.
I get along with my boss.
Me llevo bien con mi jefe.
He turned the job down.
Él rechazó el trabajo.
I'll look into the problem.
Investigaré el problema.
The deal fell through at the last minute.
El trato fracasó en el último minuto.
I can't make out what he's saying.
No alcanzo a entender lo que dice.
She really takes after her mother.
Ella realmente se parece a su madre.
We need to cut down on sugar.
Necesitamos reducir el consumo de azúcar.
The evidence doesn't bear out his theory.
La evidencia no respalda su teoría.
I was completely taken in by his lies.
Fui completamente engañado por sus mentiras.
He managed to gloss over the mistakes.
Logró pasar por alto los errores.
The meeting was called off.
La reunión fue cancelada.
He's always harking back to the 'good old days'.
Siempre está recordando los 'viejos tiempos'.
The effects of the drug began to wear off.
Los efectos de la droga empezaron a desaparecer.
I had to knuckle down to finish the report.
Tuve que ponerme manos a la obra para terminar el informe.
She eked out a living as a street performer.
Se ganaba la vida a duras penas como artista callejera.
Fácil de confundir
Learners confuse 'look for' (phrasal) with 'look at' (prepositional).
Not knowing if you can put the object in the middle.
Trying to add an object to a verb that doesn't take one.
Errores comunes
I get up at 7 yesterday.
I got up at 7 yesterday.
Sit you down.
Sit down.
Turn off it.
Turn it off.
I look my keys for.
I am looking for my keys.
He is looking his brother after.
He is looking after his brother.
I ran out milk.
I ran out of milk.
I will pick up you.
I will pick you up.
The plane took off the ground.
The plane took off.
I look forward to meet you.
I look forward to meeting you.
He brought up it.
He brought it up.
He glossed the errors over.
He glossed over the errors.
Patrones de oraciones
I need to ___ my ___.
Don't forget to ___ it ___.
I'm really looking forward to ___.
He ___ the meeting because he was sick.
Real World Usage
I'll hit you up later.
I'm looking for a role where I can grow.
What time do we check in?
Check out my new video!
Do you want to eat in or take out?
Try turning it off and on again.
Aprende en Contexto
Always learn phrasal verbs within sentences or real-life situations.
Evita Adivinar el Significado
Atento a la Separabilidad
turn the light on). Con pronombres, casi siempre va en medio:
Pronouns are almost always placed in the middle if separable.
Adopta el Inglés Informal
Practica Regularmente
The best way to master phrasal verbs is through consistent practice.
Smart Tips
Always put the pronoun in the middle. It's the safest bet for separable verbs.
Replace 'continue', 'cancel', and 'search' with 'go on', 'call off', and 'look for'.
Check if it means 'completely'. Often, 'up' just adds emphasis to finishing something.
Use 'look forward to' + -ing. It's the perfect professional closing.
Pronunciación
Stress the Particle
In phrasal verbs, the stress usually falls on the particle, not the verb.
Linking
If the verb ends in a consonant and the particle starts with a vowel, they link together.
Rising on Particle
Did you wake UP? ↗️
Standard question intonation focusing on the action.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
P.V.P: Pronouns Visit the Phrasal-middle! (Always put it/them in the middle of separable verbs).
Asociación visual
Imagine a phrasal verb as a sandwich. The Verb and Particle are the bread. If the object is a small 'pronoun' olive, it must go inside the sandwich. If it's a big 'noun' steak, it can go inside or on the side.
Rhyme
If it's a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', / Put it in the middle, not at the end!
Story
I woke up and got up. I turned on the light and put on my clothes. I ran out of coffee, so I went out to the store. I ran into a friend and we caught up.
Word Web
Desafío
Look around your room. Find 5 things you can do using phrasal verbs (e.g., 'turn on the lamp', 'pick up a pen') and say them out loud using pronouns ('turn it on', 'pick it up').
Notas culturales
BrE often uses 'fill in' a form, while American English uses 'fill out'.
AmE uses 'figure out' very frequently for solving problems, whereas BrE might use 'work out'.
Aussies often use 'reckon' combined with particles in unique ways, though standard phrasal verbs remain the same.
Phrasal verbs are a core feature of Germanic languages (like Old English, German, and Dutch).
Inicios de conversación
What time do you usually get up on weekends?
Have you ever turned down a job offer?
Who do you look up to the most in your life?
What is something you've recently found out?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
I need to `look ___` the new vocabulary word in the dictionary.
Look up significa buscar información.Find and fix the mistake:
Could you `turn off it` please?
Choose the correct sentence:
Take off significa despegar (para una aeronave).Translate into English: 'Ella se lleva bien con sus compañeros de trabajo.'
Answer starts with: ["S...
Get along with significa tener una relación amistosa con alguien.Score: /4
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesWhich one is correct?
I'm looking ___ my glasses. Have you seen them?
Find and fix the mistake:
Yesterday, I find out the truth.
We had to cancel the match.
Give up
A: Can you hear that noise? B: No, can you turn the radio ___?
Look after (someone)
up / the / pick / kids / I / will
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesDon't forget to `put ___` your coat before you go out.
I need to `look ___` my little brother while my parents are away.
Could you `run through` the instructions me one more time?
Which sentence is correct?
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'No dejes que el problema te desanime.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the verb with its particle to form a common phrasal verb:
Match the phrasal verb to its correct meaning:
I can't `put up with` her anymore.
Let's `put ___` the meeting until next week.
Translate into English: 'Necesito deshacerme de estos viejos documentos.'
Score: /13
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
There is no simple rule. You must learn them individually. However, most phrasal verbs with 'up', 'off', and 'out' are separable.
It's better to use one-word equivalents (e.g., 'postpone' instead of 'put off') in formal essays, but they are fine in business emails.
'Look for' means to search for something lost. 'Look at' means to direct your eyes toward something.
It's an idiom! The meaning of phrasal verbs is often figurative and doesn't relate to the physical words.
Yes! Examples include 'get along with', 'look forward to', and 'run out of'. They are always inseparable.
Usually, you stress the particle: 'He grew UP in London.'
It can change the meaning entirely. 'Take off' (leave) is very different from 'Take in' (understand).
Yes, 'go on' is the more natural, spoken way to say 'continue'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Verbos con preposición
Spanish verbs are usually one word; English phrasal verbs are two or three.
Verbes à particules (rare)
French uses prefixes or different verbs entirely to express direction.
Trennbare Verben
In German, the particle goes to the very end of the clause, whereas in English, it stays near the verb.
複合動詞 (Fukugō-dōshi)
Japanese uses Verb+Verb; English uses Verb+Particle.
Verbs with fixed prepositions
Arabic prepositions are fixed and never separate from the object.
Resultative Verb Complements
Chinese complements are more about result/direction than idiomatic shifts.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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