Lesson 1: Literal vs. Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal Verbs (Introduction) (B2)
Welcome to our B2 series on Phrasal Verbs1! You know they combine a verb and a particle2 (like *up* or *off*). But why can `take off` mean to remove your shoes, and also mean an airplane is leaving? This is the difference between a literal3 and an idiomatic4 phrasal verb. Mastering this difference is key to understanding natural, everyday English.
Part 1: Literal Phrasal Verbs
A literal phrasal verb is easy to understand. The meaning is the verb's meaning + the particle's meaning (usually showing direction). You can "see" the action.
| Phrasal Verb | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| to pick up | Please pick up your pen from the floor. (To lift something up). |
| to take out | He took out his wallet from his pocket. (To remove something from inside). |
Part 2: Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs
An idiomatic phrasal verb is like an idiom. Its meaning is figurative and cannot be guessed from the individual words. You must learn the whole phrase as a new piece of vocabulary.
| Phrasal Verb | Example Sentence & Meaning |
|---|---|
| to pick up | She picked up English quickly after moving here. (Meaning: to learn a new skill easily). |
| to take out | I'm too tired to cook; let's get some takeout food. (Meaning: food from a restaurant to eat at home). |
| to run into | I ran into my old teacher at the market. (Meaning: to meet someone unexpectedly). |
Usage Note: One Phrasal Verb, Two Meanings
As you can see, the same phrasal verb can be both literal and idiomatic! This is what makes them challenging. Look at the example for "break down":
- Literal: "The man used a hammer to break down the wall." (to physically break something into pieces)
- Idiomatic: "My moto broke down on the way to work." (to stop working/functioning)
The Key is Context: You must use the context of the sentence to decide which meaning is being used.
In Conversation
Srey is telling Bora about her recent trip.
Bora: I'm so glad I could pick you up from the airport. How was your flight?
Srey: It was good, but the airplane was late to take off. Did you **pick up** any new Khmer phrases while I was away?
Bora: (Laughs) No, not really. I'm too tired to study after work. I think my computer might **break down** soon.
Srey: Oh no! We would have to **break down** the problem into smaller parts to figure out how to fix it.
Bora: Let's not think about that now. I got some **takeout** food for us. I'll **take it out** of the bag.
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. In the sentence "The plane will take off in 20 minutes," is the phrasal verb used literally or idiomatically?
- a) Literal
- b) Idiomatic
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) Idiomatic (You aren't physically taking anything off).
2. In the sentence "Please take off your dirty shoes," is the phrasal verb used literally or idiomatically?
- a) Literal
- b) Idiomatic
Click to see the answer
Answer: a) Literal (You are physically removing them).
3. "I ran into an old friend yesterday." Here, 'ran into' means...
- a) I physically collided with my friend.
- b) I met my friend by chance.
- c) I ran towards my friend.
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) I met my friend by chance.
edit Your Mission
- My Sentences: The phrasal verb `look up` can be literal or idiomatic. Write two sentences showing both meanings. (Hint: One involves the sky, one involves a dictionary).
- Find Your Own: Listen to an English song or watch a movie clip. Find one phrasal verb. Is it literal or idiomatic? Write down the sentence.
- Speak: Your mission is to use the phrasal verb `pick up` in two different ways in a conversation. First, use it literally ("Can you pick up that book?"). Second, use it idiomatically ("I want to pick up some new Khmer phrases.").
book Lesson Glossary
- Phrasal Verb (noun) - Khmer: កន្សោមកិរិយាស័ព្ទ - A verb combined with a particle (like on, off, up) to create a new meaning. ↩
- Particle (noun) - Khmer: ពាក្យផ្សំ - A small word like on, off, up, down, in, or out that follows a verb. ↩
- Literal (adjective) - Khmer: ដែលតាមន័យត្រង់ - The most basic, original meaning of a word or phrase. ↩
- Idiomatic (adjective) - Khmer: ដែលមានន័យប្រៀបធៀប - Having a figurative meaning that is different from the literal meaning. ↩