Phrasal Verbs en Conversación: Los Más Usados en el Inglés Cotidiano

Si miras una serie americana o británica con subtítulos en inglés, verás algo curioso: los personajes raramente dicen discover, tolerate, investigate o continue. Dicen find out, put up with, look into, keep going. Los phrasal verbs son el vocabulario del inglés hablado real, y evitarlos hace que el inglés suene un poco rígido, un poco de libro de texto.

No hace falta aprenderlos todos a la vez. Lo que sí conviene es empezar a reconocerlos y usarlos en la conversación, especialmente los que aparecen una y otra vez en el inglés cotidiano.

Si quieres entender la lógica de los phrasal verbs antes de ver estos ejemplos en contexto, la guía de phrasal verbs te da la estructura que necesitas.

---

Phrasal verbs del día a día

Hang out

Pasar el tiempo con alguien de manera relajada, sin un plan concreto.

• We just hung out at home watching films.
• Do you want to hang out this weekend?
• They hang out a lot since they work in the same building.

Chill out

Relajarse, tranquilizarse.

• Chill out — it's not a big deal.
• I'm going to chill out at home tonight.

Show up

Aparecer, llegar a un sitio (a veces cuando no se esperaba o cuando sí).

• He never shows up on time.
• She didn't show up to the party.
• Three people showed up who weren't on the list.

Turn up

Similar a show up pero también significa aparecer inesperadamente o aumentar el volumen.

• He always turns up late to meetings.
• The lost keys turned up under the sofa.
• Turn up the music — I can barely hear it.

Catch up

Ponerse al día, también encontrarse con alguien después de tiempo.

• Let's catch up soon — I miss you.
• I need to catch up on the emails I missed.
• She ran to catch up with the group.

Make up

Reconciliarse tras una discusión; también inventar algo.

• Have they made up after the argument?
• He made up an excuse — I don't believe a word.
• Kids love making up stories.

---

Phrasal verbs para hablar de planes y decisiones

Figure out

Entender, descifrar, resolver algo.

• I can't figure out how this app works.
• Have you figured out what you want to do?

Come up with

Tener una idea o solución.

• She came up with a great plan.
• Can we come up with a solution before tomorrow?

Go for it

Decidirse a hacer algo, lanzarse.

• You've been thinking about it for months — just go for it.
• "Should I apply?" — "Go for it."

Back out

Echarse atrás en un compromiso.

• He backed out of the deal at the last minute.
• I can't believe she backed out — we were counting on her.

Back up

Apoyar a alguien; también hacer una copia de seguridad.

• Can you back me up on this?
• Back up your files before updating.

---

Phrasal verbs para hablar de estados y emociones

Freak out

Perder el control por miedo, nervios o sorpresa.

• She freaked out when she saw the spider.
• Don't freak out — we'll figure this out.

Burn out

Agotarse completamente (física o emocionalmente).

• He burned out after three years of overworking.
• Working like this, you're going to burn out.

Calm down

Calmarse, tranquilizarse (también se dice a otra persona).

• Calm down — nobody got hurt.
• It took her a while to calm down after the news.

Cheer up

Animarse o animar a alguien.

• Cheer up! Things will get better.
• She tried to cheer him up after the bad news.

Open up

Abrirse, contarle cosas personales a alguien.

• He's not the type who opens up easily.
• She finally opened up about what had happened.

---

Phrasal verbs para hablar del trabajo y proyectos

Take on

Asumir trabajo o responsabilidad.

• I've taken on too many projects this month.

Pull off

Lograr algo difícil o sorprendente.

• I can't believe they pulled it off.
• She pulled off the presentation despite the technical problems.

Fall through

Un plan no llega a realizarse.

• The deal fell through at the last minute.
• Our holiday plans fell through because of the flight cancellation.

Get behind (on)

Quedarse atrasado.

• I got behind on the project after getting sick.
• Don't let yourself get too behind — it's hard to catch up.

Wrap up

Terminar algo, concluir.

• Let's wrap up this meeting — we're running over time.
• I need to wrap up this report today.

---

Phrasal verbs para hablar de personas y relaciones

Get along with

Llevarse bien con alguien.

• Do you get along well with your flatmates?
• I get along better with some colleagues than others.

Look out for

Cuidar de alguien, estar atento a algo.

• Look out for each other.
• Look out for ice on the road.

Fall for

Enamorarse de alguien; también dejarse engañar.

• He fell for her the first time they met.
• Don't fall for that trick.

Grow apart

Distanciarse gradualmente (de amigos o pareja).

• We stayed friends for years but eventually grew apart.

Stand by

Apoyar a alguien en un momento difícil; también esperar.

• She stood by him through the worst period.
• Stand by — we're almost ready.

---

Phrasal verbs muy coloquiales (atención al contexto)

Estos los escucharás en series y entre amigos, pero no los uses en un email formal:

Kick back: relajarse

• I'm just going to kick back this evening.

Hit it off: conectar bien con alguien desde el principio

• We hit it off immediately.

Veg out: descansar no haciendo nada productivo

• I just vegged out in front of the TV all day.

Zone out: desconectarse mentalmente

• Sorry, I zoned out — what were you saying?

Crack up: reírse muchísimo

• She cracks me up every time.