Phrasal Verbs and Vocabulary in English: A Comprehensive List
Essential Phrasal Verbs
- Acabar: End up doing something
- Admirar a: Look up to somebody
- Agarrarse a: Hold on to something = Hang on to something
- Alcanzar a: Catch up with somebody
- Arreglárselas: Get by
- Buscar: Look for = Search for = Seek
- Buscar: Look up
- Causar: Bring on/about something
- Ceder: Give in to something
- Ceñirse a: Stick to something = Follow something
- Chocar contra: Crash into = Bump into = Drive into = Collide with
- Continuar con: Get on with something = Carry on with something
- Convertirse en: Turn into + noun = Become + a noun / + an adjective
- Convertir a: Turn somebody into something
- Cuidar de: Look after somebody = Care for somebody
- Deprimir a: Get somebody down = Make somebody depressed
- Desanimar a: Put somebody off
- Desmoronarse: Break down = Collapse
- Despedirse de: See somebody off = Say goodbye to somebody
- Destacar, enfatizar: Point out = Highlight = Emphasize
- Dirigirse a: Head for = Make for
- Discutir con: Fall out with somebody = Have a row/argument with somebody
- Distraer: Put somebody off
- Durar: Go on = Last
- Emplear: Take on somebody = Employ somebody
- Encontrarse con alguien: Come across somebody = Bump into somebody = Meet somebody by chance
- Enfrentarse a: Cope with = Deal with = Face
- Engañar a: Take somebody in = Lie to somebody
- Estallar: Break out
- Extinguirse: Die out = Become extinct
- Fallar: Let somebody down = Disappoint somebody
- Fracasar: Drop out of school = Leave school
- Hacer llegar: Get across
- Importar: Care about = Be worried about
- Inventar: Make up
- Llevar a: Carry out
- Mantenerse: To keep up with the news / current affairs
- Montar: Set up a business
- Morir: Pass away
- Ocurrirse: Come up with = Think of
- Parecerse: Take after = Look like = Resemble
- Pasar: Go through
- Perseguir: Run after = Chase
- Posponer: Put off = Postpone
- Presumir de: Show off = Boast about = Brag about
- Quedarse: Run out of
- Rechazar: Turn down = Reject
- Recoger: Pick somebody up = Collect somebody = Meet somebody
- Recuperarse: Get over = Recover from
- Reducir: Cut down on something = Reduce something
- Rendirse: Give in = Surrender
- Sacar un producto: Come out = Bring out
- Sacar: Bring up = Mention
- Solucionar: Sort out = Solve
- Subir (intransitive): Go up = Rise
- Subir: Put up = Raise
- Suceder: Go on = Happen = Occur
- Tener éxito: Catch on = Become successful
- Vivir: Live on
General Vocabulary
- Talk sense: Hablar con sentido
- Electrical appliances: Electrodomésticos
- Seek = Look for = Search for: Buscar
- Valuables: Objetos de valor
- Grumpy = Bad-tempered: Gruñón
- Point out = Highlight = Emphasize
- Extraterrestrial = Alien: Extraterrestre
- Intelligent beings: Seres inteligentes
- Amazement = Astonishment: Sorpresa
- Criticism: Crítica
- Petty things: Cosas sin importancia
- Chemicals: Productos químicos
- Living conditions: Condiciones de vida
- Keep somebody awake: Mantener a alguien despierto
- To get by: Ir tirando, arreglárselas
- Sleeping pills: Somníferos
- Speak one’s mind: Decir lo que uno piensa
- Be on a black list: Estar en una lista negra
- Be in the red = To be in debt: Estar endeudado
- Have green fingers = To be good at gardening
- Out of the blue = Unexpectedly: Inesperadamente
- Once in a blue moon: De mucho en mucho tiempo
- Take something into account: Tener algo en cuenta
- Return to normal: Volver a la normalidad
- Take a year off: Tomarse un año sabático
- Energetic: Enérgico, activo
- Rule: Dirigir, gobernar
- Be on-duty: Estar de servicio
- Rioter: Manifestante, amotinado
- Be on an assignment: Estar en una misión
- Be slave to something/somebody: Ser esclavo de
- Beauty is only skin deep: La belleza es superficial
- Dress casually: Vestir informalmente
- Trainers: Zapatillas deportivas
- Be skinny: Estar en los huesos (very thin)
- A spotty complexion: Una tez llena de granos
- Be aggressive: Ser agresivo
- Be enthusiastic: Ser entusiasta
- Be easy-going: Ser despreocupado
- Have a sense of humor: Tener sentido del humor
- Be considerate: Ser considerado
- Be polite = Well-mannered: Ser educado
- Big-headed = Stubborn: Testarudo
- Big-headed = Boastful = Vain: Engreído
- Be disloyal to somebody: Ser desleal con
- Unadventurous: Poco atrevido = Aventurero
- Unreasonable: Poco razonable
- Unattainable = Unreachable: Inalcanzable
- Unbeatable: Imbatible, insuperable
- Unconvincing: Poco convincente
- Uncooperative: Poco solidario
- Undoubtedly: Indudablemente
- Unenviable: Poco envidiable
- Unsinkable: Insumergible
- Unforgettable: Inolvidable
- Impractical: Poco práctico
- Immature: Inmaduro
- Disorganized: Desorganizado
- Illogical: Ilógico
- Pursuit = Search = Quest: Búsqueda
- Compassionate (adj): Compasivo
- Difficult = Awkward = Tricky: Difícil
- Contact somebody = To get in touch with somebody
- Die childless: Morir sin descendencia
- A childless couple: Una pareja sin hijos
- Respond to = React to: Responder a