B1 · Intermédiaire Chapitre 24

Parler comme un "pro" : les verbes à particule du quotidien

10 Règles totales
118 exemples
6 min

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the phrasal verbs that native speakers use in every single conversation.

  • Identify common phrasal verbs in daily contexts.
  • Apply multi-word verbs correctly in social situations.
  • Differentiate between literal and idiomatic meanings.
Speak naturally, one phrasal verb at a time.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

Salut ! Prêt à passer au niveau supérieur ? Si tu as déjà eu l'impression que ton anglais sonne un peu trop comme un manuel scolaire, ce chapitre est ta botte secrète. On va s'attaquer aux célèbres « phrasal verbs », ces verbes suivis d'une petite particule qui changent totalement le sens d'une phrase. Tu vas apprendre à maîtriser des expressions indispensables comme « take off » pour parler d'un avion qui décolle ou de retirer tes vêtements, et « pick up » pour ramasser un objet ou passer prendre un ami. Imagine : tu te promènes en ville, tu tombes par hasard sur un ancien collègue (« run into »), et vous décidez de prendre un café pour vous donner des nouvelles (« catch up »). C'est exactement ce genre de situations concrètes que nous allons explorer. On verra aussi comment nuancer tes relations avec « get along », ou comment refuser poliment une invitation avec « turn down ». En connectant ces verbes à tes actions quotidiennes, tu vas arrêter de traduire mot à mot pour enfin t'exprimer naturellement. À la fin de ce chapitre, tu sauras aussi bien expliquer un problème complexe (« break down ») que confirmer la réalisation d'un projet (« carry out »). Prépare-toi à booster ta confiance et à fluidifier tes conversations dès aujourd'hui !

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use 10 essential phrasal verbs in a coherent paragraph about your daily routine.

Guide du chapitre

Overview

Mastering English daily life phrasal verbs is a game-changer for any B1 English learner looking to sound more natural and confident. These seemingly small combinations of verbs and prepositions (or adverbs) are everywhere in everyday conversation, from talking about your plans to describing a sudden event. Ignoring them means missing out on the richness and authenticity of native English.
This chapter is designed to unlock that next level of fluency for you.
You'll discover how to naturally describe situations like when you run into an old friend unexpectedly, or how you get along with your colleagues at work. We'll explore essential verbs like take off for when a plane departs or you remove clothing, and how to use get over when you recover from an illness or a difficult situation. Understanding these will help you express yourself with greater precision and ease, making your B1 English grammar feel truly alive.
By the end of this guide, you'll be able to confidently use phrasal verbs to talk about everything from picking up a phone call, to asking someone to turn down the music, or understanding why a car might break down. Get ready to elevate your conversational skills and seamlessly blend into everyday English interactions!

How This Grammar Works

Phrasal verbs are a core component of natural, everyday English, especially when describing actions and states in daily life. They combine a verb with a particle (a preposition or adverb) to create a new meaning that is often different from the original verb alone. For example, the verb take means to grasp, but when combined with off as in take off, it can mean to remove clothing, or for a plane to depart.
Similarly, run is a physical action, but run into means to meet someone by chance, and run out of signifies a lack of supply.
Many phrasal verbs are about human interactions and emotions. To describe a positive relationship, we often say people get along with each other. When you need to recover from an illness or emotional difficulty, you get over it.
These verbs help you express nuances that single words often can't. Think about planning: you might carry out instructions or a plan, showing completion and adherence. In social situations, if you're behind on information or tasks, you might need to catch up.
A crucial aspect of some phrasal verbs, especially those with an object, is their separability. For instance, with pick up, you can say "I'll pick up the book or I'll pick the book up.
However, if the object is a pronoun, it *must* go in the middle:
I'll pick it up, never I'll pick up it. This sandwich rule
applies to many separable phrasal verbs. Another important one is turn down, which can mean to lower volume (
Turn down the music
) or to reject an offer (
She turned down the job offer").
Phrasal verbs allow for a more dynamic and less formal expression, making your B1 English sound more authentic.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Mistake with pronoun placement for separable phrasal verbs.
✗ I need to pick up them from school.
✓ I need to pick them up from school.
Explanation: When the object of a separable phrasal verb is a pronoun (like *them*, *it*, *him*, *her*, *us*, *you*), the pronoun *always* goes between the verb and the particle.
  1. 1Confusing 'get along' with 'get together'.
✗ My new colleagues get along with coffee next week.
✓ My new colleagues get along well, and we'll get together for coffee next week.
Explanation: Get along means to have a good relationship. Get together means to meet up socially.
  1. 1Incorrectly using 'run out' without 'of'.
✗ We ran out milk, so I went to the store.
✓ We ran out of milk, so I went to the store.
Explanation: When indicating a depletion of supplies, the phrasal verb is run out of something.

Real Conversations

A

A

Hey Sarah, I didn't expect to run into you here! How have you been?
B

B

Oh, Mark! What a surprise! I’ve been great, just trying to get over this cold I caught last week. How about you? How are things getting along at your new job?
A

A

Not bad. It's challenging, but I'm managing to carry out all my tasks. I even had to turn down an invitation to a party because I had so much to do.
B

B

Wow, sounds busy! Well, it was good to catch up quickly. I have to pick up my daughter from school soon. Let's really catch up properly another time!
A

A

Sounds good! Hope you get over that cold completely.
B

B

Thanks! You too.

Quick FAQ

Q

Why are daily life phrasal verbs so important for B1 English grammar?

Phrasal verbs are crucial because they're extremely common in everyday conversations. Understanding and using them helps you comprehend native speakers better and express yourself more naturally and less formally.

Q

Can I use pick up for both people and objects?

Yes! You can pick up a friend from the airport, and you can pick up a book from the floor. Remember the pronoun rule:

pick him up
but
pick up the book
or
pick it up.

Q

What's the difference between meet and

run into
someone?

Meet can be planned ("Let's meet for coffee) or unplanned. Run into" specifically means to meet someone unexpectedly or by chance. It always implies a surprise encounter.

Q

Is

break down
always negative?

Not always. While it often refers to machinery failing or someone having an emotional collapse, it can also mean to simplify or explain something complex in smaller, easier steps, like

break down a complex idea.

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these daily life phrasal verbs constantly. They are a cornerstone of informal, everyday communication, making conversations flow more naturally and efficiently. While there are some regional variations, the core meanings of verbs like get along, take off, run into, and pick up are widely understood across English-speaking countries.
They tend to be less formal than their single-word synonyms (e.g., reject vs.
turn down
), making them perfectly suited for the relaxed nature of most daily interactions. Integrating them makes your speech sound much more like a native speaker's.

Exemples clés (8)

1

It's warm in here, I'm going to `take my sweater off`.

Il fait chaud ici, je vais enlever mon pull.

Verbe à particule: Take off (Enlever & Partir)
2

The flight to London `takes off` at 9 AM.

Le vol pour Londres décolle à 9h du matin.

Verbe à particule: Take off (Enlever & Partir)
3

My sister and I always `get along` really well, even though we live in different cities.

Ma sœur et moi nous entendons toujours très bien, même si nous vivons dans des villes différentes.

Bien s'entendre (Verbe à particule: Get along/on)
4

Do you `get on` with your new project manager? I heard they're quite strict.

Tu t'entends bien avec ton nouveau chef de projet ? J'ai entendu dire qu'il était assez strict.

Bien s'entendre (Verbe à particule: Get along/on)
5

I unexpectedly `ran into` an old friend at the grocery store.

Je suis tombé(e) par hasard sur un vieil ami au supermarché.

Verbe à particule: Run (Into, Out of, Away)
6

Oh no, we're `running out of` coffee! Someone needs to buy more.

Oh non, on n'a plus de café ! Quelqu'un doit en acheter.

Verbe à particule: Run (Into, Out of, Away)
7

It took her weeks to really `get over` the cold she caught.

Il lui a fallu des semaines pour vraiment se remettre du rhume qu'elle avait attrapé.

Verbe à particule : Get over (Récupérer et surmonter)
8

I thought I'd never `get over` that embarrassing moment during my Zoom interview.

Je pensais que je ne me remettrais jamais de ce moment embarrassant pendant mon entretien Zoom.

Verbe à particule : Get over (Récupérer et surmonter)

Conseils et astuces (4)

💡

La Règle du Placement du Pronom

Si tu utilises un pronom (it, them, him, her), place-le toujours entre take et off quand take off veut dire enlever. C'est comme take + pronom + off. Par exemple : Take them off (Enlève-les).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbe à particule: Take off (Enlever & Partir)
💡

Ajoute 'well' pour plus de clarté

Si tu dis juste get along, ça peut être un peu neutre. Mais si tu ajoutes well, c'est super clair que la relation est bonne!
Adding well after get along (e.g., get along well) makes it super clear you mean a positive relationship.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Bien s'entendre (Verbe à particule: Get along/on)
💡

Fais attention au contexte

Quand tu écoutes, fais attention au contexte. Les 'phrasal verbs' ont plusieurs sens, le contexte te dira si 'ran into' veut dire une rencontre amicale ou un accident de voiture ! "The context will tell you if 'ran into' means a friendly meeting or a car crash!"
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbe à particule: Run (Into, Out of, Away)
💡

Pense "Passé" pour "Over"

Imagine que la difficulté est derrière toi. Get over suggère que tu as franchi la ligne d'arrivée, laissant le défi dans le passé pour avancer. "You've finally gotten over that hurdle."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbe à particule : Get over (Récupérer et surmonter)

Vocabulaire clé (5)

Authentic Real and genuine Harmony Working well together Recovery Returning to health Unexpected Not planned Complexity Having many parts

Real-World Preview

coffee

A Morning Coffee

Review Summary

  • Verb + Particle
  • Verb + Adverb
  • Run + Preposition
  • Get + Over
  • Pick + Up
  • Catch + Up
  • Turn + Down
  • Run + Into
  • Break + Down
  • Carry + Out

Erreurs courantes

Run into is for people, not physical objects.

Wrong: I ran into the door.
Correct: I bumped into the door.

Separable phrasal verbs often sound more natural with the object in the middle.

Wrong: I take off my hat.
Correct: I take my hat off.

Get over is usually for emotional situations or long-term issues, not minor colds.

Wrong: I got over my cold yesterday.
Correct: I recovered from my cold yesterday.

Règles dans ce chapitre (10)

Next Steps

You have done an amazing job! Keep practicing these in your daily speech to lock them in.

Listen to a podcast and note 3 phrasal verbs

Pratique rapide (10)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Can you break down it for me, this math problem is hard.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Can you break it down for me, this math problem is hard.
Quand 'break down' signifie expliquer et utilise un pronom comme 'it', le pronom doit aller entre 'break' et 'down'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comprendre 'Break down' (Arrêter et Expliquer)

Choisis la forme correcte du verbe à particule.

My cousins always _____ well at family reunions.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: get along
Get along est le verbe à particule correct pour exprimer avoir une bonne relation. Facile, non?

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Bien s'entendre (Verbe à particule: Get along/on)

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She needs to catch up with her classmates.
Quand il s'agit d'atteindre le même niveau qu'une personne ou un groupe, catch up with est la bonne expression.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comment utiliser 'Catch Up' (Verbe à particule)

Quelle phrase utilise 'break down' correctement ?

Choisis la phrase correcte :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The old printer broke down.
Pour dire qu'une machine a cessé de fonctionner, on utilise le verbe à particule 'break down', et non seulement 'break'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comprendre 'Break down' (Arrêter et Expliquer)

Quelle phrase utilise correctement un 'phrasal verb' avec 'run' ?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We are running out of time to finish the assignment.
'Run out of' est une expression fixe où l'objet vient après 'out of'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbe à particule: Run (Into, Out of, Away)

Quelle phrase utilise correctement 'turn down' pour un refus ?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I had to turn the invitation down because I was busy.
'Turn down' signifie refuser. 'Turn off' signifie éteindre quelque chose, et 'turn up' signifie augmenter le volume/l'intensité.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbe à Particule: Turn Down (Volume & Rejet)

Choisis le phrasal verb correct.

The team needs to ___ the new safety procedures immediately.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: carry out
Carry out signifie exécuter ou mettre en œuvre quelque chose, ce qui correspond parfaitement aux procédures. Carry on signifie continuer.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Mener à bien des tâches (Carry out)

Quelle phrase est correcte ?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Did you pick up on the sarcasm?
'Pick up on' signifie remarquer ou détecter quelque chose, souvent subtil. 'Pick up the sarcasm' impliquerait de littéralement soulever le sarcasme, ce qui n'a pas de sens. L'option avec 'on' est la seule correcte pour ce sens.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbe à particule: Pick up (soulever, récupérer, répondre)

Quelle phrase utilise correctement "run into" ?

Choisis la bonne phrase :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They ran into their friends unexpectedly at the park.
Run into implique une rencontre inattendue et accidentelle. Les autres options décrivent des rencontres planifiées.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Rencontrer par hasard (Run into)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur

Find and fix the mistake:

I need to pick up them from the airport.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I need to pick them up from the airport.
Quand l'objet est un pronom comme 'them', il doit aller entre 'pick' et 'up'. C'est une règle essentielle pour tous les 'phrasal verbs' séparables.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbe à particule: Pick up (soulever, récupérer, répondre)

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

Les deux significations principales sont enlever quelque chose, souvent des vêtements ou des accessoires, comme
take off your shoes
, et partir, généralement pour des véhicules comme les avions ou quand tu pars rapidement, comme dans
the plane took off
.
Non, ça dépend du sens ! Quand tu enlèves un objet (par exemple,
take your hat off
), c'est séparable. Mais quand ça veut dire partir ou
devenir célèbre/réussir
, c'est inséparable, donc tu dirais
the show took off
.
Get along signifie avoir une relation amicale ou harmonieuse avec quelqu'un. Ça décrit comment les gens interagissent, par exemple:
My colleagues and I get along great.
Oui, absolument! Get on a le même sens d'avoir une bonne relation et est très courant, surtout en anglais britannique. Par exemple:
Do you get on with your family?
'Run into' signifie généralement rencontrer quelqu'un ou quelque chose par hasard, ou entrer en collision avec quelque chose. Pense-y comme une rencontre imprévue ou un petit choc.
Tu utilises 'run out of' quand tu as épuisé toutes tes réserves de quelque chose, et qu'il ne t'en reste plus. Par exemple,
I ran out of milk
veut dire que ton frigo est vide de lait.