Verbo Frasal: Make up (Inventar/Reconciliar)
make up você pode inventar coisas, reconciliar amizades e sempre lembrar da regra de pronome no meio.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
'Make up' is a versatile verb used to describe inventing stories, becoming friends again, or forming a whole.
- Use it to mean 'invent' (e.g., 'He made up an excuse').
- Use it to mean 'reconcile' after a fight (e.g., 'They finally made up').
- When using a pronoun (it/them), put it in the middle: 'Make it up'.
Overview
make up. Em português, a gente tem verbos que carregam significados muito específicos, como 'inventar', 'criar', 'fazer as pazes' ou 'compensar'.make up é um camaleão: ele assume todos esses papéis dependendo do contexto.make (fazer) ganha uma nova vida quando se junta ao up. Essa partícula up não está ali por acaso; ela traz uma ideia de conclusão, de algo que foi 'montado' ou trazido à tona. Entender essa lógica é o que separa quem apenas traduz palavra por palavra de quem realmente fala inglês com naturalidade.make up é o seu próximo passo. Vamos desmistificar isso juntos!make up é o que chamamos de phrasal verb polissêmico. A partícula up, aqui, funciona como um intensificador de 'completude'. Pense no português: quando dizemos 'inventar', estamos falando de criar algo do nada.make up faz exatamente isso. O make (fazer) se torna uma construção mental. É como se você estivesse 'subindo' (up) uma ideia da sua imaginação para a realidade.make up no sentido de reconciliação, a lógica é de 'restauração'. Sabe quando você briga com alguém no bar ou tem um desentendimento no grupo de família e depois precisa 'consertar' a relação? O up sugere que você está elevando o estado da relação de volta ao normal, ou seja, 'limpando' a bagunça que a discussão causou.make up depende da transitividade e do tipo de objeto. Veja a tabela abaixo para visualizar como organizar a frase:make up + objeto | He made up an excuse. | Ele inventou uma desculpa. |make + objeto + up | He made it up. | Ele inventou isso. |make up + with + pessoa | They made up with her. | Eles fizeram as pazes com ela. |make up + your mind | Make up your mind! | Decida-se! |make up em situações do dia a dia. Primeiro, para inventar ou fabricar: imagine que você se atrasou para um compromisso de trabalho ou para o Uber que te espera. Você precisa dar uma justificativa: 'I had to make up an excuse'.- 1A regra do pronome: O erro mais comum é dizer 'I made up it'. Como em português dizemos 'Eu inventei isso' (verbo + objeto), o brasileiro tende a manter a ordem. Lembre-se: o pronome é 'intruso' e deve ficar entre o
makee oup. - 2Confundir com 'make': Muitos alunos dizem 'I made a story' quando querem dizer que a história é falsa. 'I made a story' soa como se você tivesse escrito ou criado uma história real. 'I made up a story' deixa claro que a história é uma invenção, uma mentira.
- 3Uso de 'with': Quando falamos de reconciliação, o brasileiro esquece o 'with'. Dizem 'I made up my friend'. Isso soa como se você tivesse 'maquiado' seu amigo (já que
makeupcomo substantivo é maquiagem). Sempre use 'I made up WITH my friend'.
makeup (maquiagem). A pronúncia é levemente diferente (o acento tônico muda), mas a escrita é a mesma. Veja a comparação:make up | Phrasal Verb | Inventar/Reconciliar | Don't make up lies. |makeup | Substantivo | Maquiagem | She wears a lot of makeup. |make up for | Phrasal Verb | Compensar | I'll make up for my mistake. |make up for é outro que confunde muito! Se você esqueceu o aniversário de alguém, você tenta 'make up for it' (compensar). Note que o make up sozinho não tem o mesmo sentido de compensação.- 1Posso usar 'make up' para construir uma casa? Não! Para objetos físicos, usamos 'build' ou 'construct'. 'Make up' é para coisas abstratas, como histórias, desculpas ou paz.
- 2Qual a diferença entre 'make up' e 'lie'? 'Lie' é o ato de mentir. 'Make up' é o ato de criar a mentira. Você 'makes up a lie'.
- 3'Make up' é muito informal? Sim, é um termo coloquial. Em uma reunião de diretoria muito formal, talvez seja melhor usar 'fabricate' (para mentiras) ou 'reconcile' (para pazes), mas em 99% das conversas diárias, 'make up' é perfeito.
Conjugating 'Make Up'
| Tense | Subject | Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I / You / We / They
|
make up
|
They make up stories.
|
|
Present Simple
|
He / She / It
|
makes up
|
She makes up excuses.
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
made up
|
We made up yesterday.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am making up
|
I am making up the bed.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
He / She
|
has made up
|
He has made it up.
|
|
Future
|
All subjects
|
will make up
|
They will make up soon.
|
Common Contractions with 'Make Up'
| Full Form | Contraction | Context |
|---|---|---|
|
I have made up
|
I've made up
|
Informal speech
|
|
They will make up
|
They'll make up
|
Casual conversation
|
|
It is made up
|
It's made up
|
Describing a lie
|
Meanings
A multi-use phrasal verb primarily used for creating fictional information or restoring a relationship after a disagreement.
Invent/Fabricate
To create a story, lie, or explanation that is not true.
“Stop making up excuses for being late!”
“The author made up a whole new world for her book.”
Reconcile
To become friends again after a quarrel or fight.
“We had a huge argument, but we made up the next day.”
“Kiss and make up!”
Constitute/Form
To be the parts that form a whole.
“Women make up 50% of the workforce.”
“Ten chapters make up this textbook.”
Compensate
To do something extra because you missed something earlier (often used with 'for').
“I'll work late to make up the time I lost.”
“He bought her flowers to make up for his mistake.”
Reference Table
| Significado | Tipo de Objeto | Exemplos de Estrutura | Observações |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Inventar uma história/mentira
|
Substantivo
|
make up a story / make a story up
|
Usado para ficção ou engano.
|
|
Inventar uma desculpa
|
Substantivo
|
make up an excuse / make an excuse up
|
Para evitar problemas ou responsabilidades.
|
|
Inventar (pronome)
|
Pronome
|
make it up
|
Pronome DEVE ir entre 'make' e 'up'.
|
|
Reconciliar (com alguém)
|
Pessoa
|
make up with her/him/them
|
Fazer as pazes após um desentendimento.
|
|
Reconciliar (geral)
|
Implícito
|
They finally made up.
|
Frequentemente implica 'with each other'.
|
|
Constituir/Formar
|
Grupo/Parte
|
Students make up 70% of the class.
|
Descreve a composição (significado secundário).
|
|
Aplicar cosméticos
|
Rosto/Si mesmo
|
She makes up her face.
|
Outro significado comum, mas distinto.
|
Espectro de formalidade
The two parties have reached a reconciliation. (Relationships)
They have made up. (Relationships)
They're cool again. (Relationships)
They're Gucci now. (Relationships)
Make Up: Dois Significados Principais
Inventar/Criar (ficção)
- Story Inventar uma narrativa
- Excuse Fabricar uma razão
- Game Criar uma atividade de jogo
Reconciliar (amizade)
- With someone Fazer as pazes de novo
- After argument Resolver conflito
- Differences Acertar desentendimentos
Make Up vs. Verbos Similares
Usando 'Make Up' de Forma Eficaz
Você quer dizer inventar algo (história, desculpa, jogo)?
O objeto é um pronome (it, them)?
Você quer dizer reconciliar com alguém?
Contextos para 'Make Up'
Inventando
- • Desculpas
- • Histórias
- • Jogos
- • Mentiras
- • Canções
- • Álibis
Reconciliando
- • Com amigos
- • Depois de uma briga
- • Diferenças
- • Com a família
- • Desentendimentos
Quando NÃO usar
- • Construir objetos
- • Descoberta científica
- • Compensar perda
- • Relatórios formais (geralmente)
Ideias semelhantes
- • Inventar
- • Criar
- • Reconciliar
- • Planejar
- • Fabricar
Exemplos por nível
I make up stories.
They make up after the fight.
Do not make up a lie.
We are friends, we make up.
He made up a funny song.
Did you and Sarah make up?
I need to make up an excuse.
She made it up to be nice.
Women make up half of the class.
I'll make up the missed work tomorrow.
They finally made up after not speaking for years.
He made up the whole story about the ghost.
The committee is made up of local residents.
How can I make it up to you?
The lost hours must be made up by Friday.
He has a tendency to make things up when he's nervous.
The cultural make-up of the city has changed significantly.
He tried to make up for his lack of experience with enthusiasm.
The pharmacist is making up your prescription now.
It’s hard to make up the ground we lost in the first quarter.
The very fabric of their society is made up of these ancient traditions.
She struggled to make up the deficit in her emotional well-being.
The actors were required to make up their own lines in the improv show.
He could not make up the discrepancy between the two reports.
Fácil de confundir
Learners often mix these up because they both involve 'make' and a preposition.
Both mean to create something new.
Both use 'up' and a common verb.
Erros comuns
I make up it.
I make it up.
We make up a story.
We made up a story.
They make up.
They made up.
I make up my face.
I put on makeup.
He made up for a story.
He made up a story.
Did you make up with?
Did you make up with him?
I made up the bed.
I made the bed.
The team makes up of ten people.
The team is made up of ten people.
I'll make up my mistake.
I'll make up for my mistake.
He made up his mind up.
He made up his mind.
He made up the lost ground.
He made up the ground he had lost.
The makeup of the atom...
The make-up of the atom...
Padrões de frases
I had to make up a ___ because ___.
___ and ___ finally made up after ___.
___ make up approximately ___ percent of ___.
How can I make up for ___?
Real World Usage
Are we good? Did we make up?
I can make up the hours if I leave early.
Small businesses make up the backbone of the economy.
She totally made that up for clout.
The pilot tried to make up the time in the air.
We are making up your prescription now.
A Regra da Colocação do Pronome
Always saymake it up, notmake up it.
Evite 'Make up' para Compensação
You need to make up for lost time.Use 'with' para Reconciliação
make up with someone."Informal vs. Formal
Make up is generally quite informal.Smart Tips
Imagine the pronoun is a sandwich filling. It must go inside the verb 'make' and the particle 'up'.
Use the 'Make it up to you' pattern. It's the most natural way to offer a favor after a mistake.
Use 'is made up of' instead of just 'has'. It sounds more professional and descriptive.
If it's a lie, use 'make up'. If it's a machine, use 'invent'.
Pronúncia
Stress on the particle
In phrasal verbs, the stress usually falls on the preposition/particle, not the verb.
Linking
When 'make' is followed by 'up', the 'k' sound links to the 'u'.
Rising on 'up'
Did you make UP? ↗
Asking a question
Memorize
Mnemônico
Make a story, Make a friend, Make a whole until the end.
Associação visual
Imagine a person building a Lego house. They are 'making up' the house from small parts. Then imagine them drawing a fake map (making up a story) and finally shaking hands with a friend (making up after a fight).
Rhyme
If you tell a lie, you make it up. If you stop a cry, you make it up.
Story
Tim was late for work. He had to 'make up' an excuse about a flat tire. His boss was angry, but they 'made up' after Tim promised to 'make up' the lost hours by staying late. Now, those extra hours 'make up' a large part of his paycheck.
Word Web
Desafio
Write three sentences using 'make up': one about a lie, one about a friend, and one about a percentage.
Notas culturais
Very common in high school dramas and sitcoms to discuss 'making up' after a breakup.
Often used in the context of 'making up a bed' for a guest, which is slightly more common in the UK than the US.
Used globally in English-speaking offices to discuss 'making up the hours' when taking time off for appointments.
The phrase dates back to the late 14th century, combining 'make' (to create) with 'up' (to completion).
Iniciadores de conversa
Have you ever had to make up an excuse for being late?
What qualities make up a good friend?
How do you usually make up with someone after a fight?
If you could make up a new holiday, what would it be?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
My friends often ___ stories about their weekend adventures.
make up.Find and fix the mistake:
After the argument, they made up it.
it), ele deve ir entre make e up no sentido de 'inventar'. Para reconciliação, seria 'made up with each other'.Rephrase: 'They invented a ridiculous excuse to avoid their responsibilities.'
Answer starts with: ["T...
make up. Com um objeto substantivo, ele pode ser separável ou inseparável.Choose the correct sentence:
Made up pode ser usado sozinho para implicar reconciliação quando o contexto está claro que é entre duas ou mais pessoas. Made up with também está correto, mas made up sozinho está bom aqui.Score: /4
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesWhich one is correct?
They had a fight, but they finally made ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
The team makes up of five players.
He invented a lie about the car.
1. Invent 2. Reconcile 3. Constitute
A: I'm so sorry I missed your birthday. B: It's okay, how are you going to ___?
'We finally made up.'
I'll work on Saturday to make ___ the lost time.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe author loves to ___ new characters for her fantasy novels.
We need to make up for the lost profit.
Choose the correct sentence:
Rephrase using 'make up': 'They invented a clever plan.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the sentences with their primary meaning of 'make up':
My little brother loves to ___ excuses for not doing his chores.
The band wants to make up it's own songs.
Which sentence correctly uses 'make up' for reconciliation?
Rephrase using 'make up': 'I will compensate for the time I missed.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the objects with their correct 'make up' structure:
Score: /12
Perguntas frequentes (8)
Usually no. Use `invent` for things like the lightbulb or the internet. Use `make up` for stories, lies, and excuses.
It is neutral to informal. In very formal writing, use `fabricate`, `reconcile`, or `constitute`.
`Make up` means to invent or reconcile. `Make up for` means to compensate for a mistake or a loss.
Yes! This is a very common idiom meaning 'I decided'.
When written as one word (makeup), it is a noun meaning cosmetics or the composition of something. As two words (make up), it is a verb.
Use `be made up of`. For example: 'The class is made up of students from ten countries.'
It implies reconciliation, which might include kissing, but the verb for kissing specifically is `make out`.
`Made up of` is much more common and generally considered correct for parts of a whole.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Inventar / Reconciliarse
English uses one verb for both; Spanish uses 'inventar' and 'reconciliarse'.
Inventer / Se réconcilier
French requires reflexive verbs for the 'reconcile' meaning.
Erfinden / Sich versöhnen
German separable verbs are common, but the meanings are split across different roots.
Netsuzou suru / Nakanaori suru
Japanese has no concept of 'verb + preposition' phrasal verbs.
Ikhtara'a / Tasalaha
Arabic uses root-based morphology instead of phrasal particles.
Biānzào / Héhǎo
Chinese uses compound verbs that describe the result of the action.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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