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022 - How do you learn phrasal verbs?

Hello there. Kevin here, with another episode of the Feel Good English podcast, the podcast that helps you become a superstar English speaker: the easy way. Today, I have another “Q & A” Saturday episode for you, and this one is on what I probably consider to the most students’ favorite topic: the thing that makes them most excited about English, that’s really easy, and this topic is “Phrasal Verbs.” I was joking. You probably have problems with phrasal verbs because they’re difficult. They are really difficult, and I got a recording from a couple of listeners this week. Check them out.

Jose: Hello, Kevin. I’m *, and my question is about phrasal verbs. What is the best way to learn phrasal verbs? Do I have to memorize all of them? Or are there some tips to learn this? Thanks, man. Keep up with the good work.

Israel: Hey, Kevin. It’s Harry here from Brazil, and I’d like to ask you: How can I improve my conversation with phrasal verbs? How can I use phrasal verbs in real conversations? How can we prove phrasal verbs? Thank you.

Kevin: So, yes. Learners struggle with phrasal verbs. Believe me, I know this, and I understand. It’s hard to use them in English correctly, but if you’re like a lot of learners that I’ve met, you might be doing something wrong. There’s one thing that many learners do that makes phrasal verbs more complicated than they need to be. I have seen learners do this all of the time, especially more advanced speakers, and they do this one thing that overcomplicates things, that makes things too complicated, and in this episode, I will tell you how to not do this, which will make phrasal verbs much easier for you. Okay, listen to this Q & A episode. Let’s go.

So, just to clarify, phrasal verbs are those two – word verbs: we have a verb and a preposition. Pick – up, drop – off, see – through, put off. Those are all phrasal verbs. Some reasons why they are difficult: One phrasal verb can have many different meanings. Two, three, four different meanings from one phrasal verb. That’s ridiculous. Also, they don’t make sense.

Sometimes, you add a preposition to something, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense. For example, put off. To put off is to procrastinate, to delay something, to do it later. Put off. What does it have to do with procrastinating? That doesn’t make any sense. And also, the semantics of using phrasal verbs in English. Using phrasal verbs are very specific to certain situations. There are *, small, little aspects to a certain situation that allow you to use a certain phrasal verb or not, and this is really hard, but it’s also one of the reasons why English learners usually make mistakes and make phrasal verbs overly complicated.

So, what do most learners do wrong? What is the one thing that learners do incorrectly with phrasal verbs in avoiding this can make it much easier for you? Well, this one thing is overusing them. Overuse means to use them too much, use them too often. When people become more advanced in English, they think the next step is to start using phrasal verbs in their speech all the time. I’ve seen this with students and friends, and they start trying to throw in phrasal verbs as often as possible. And you know what, this sounds bad because phrasal verbs are hard to use correctly in the right situation, and also, there’s no reason to use them all of the time. You don’t need to use in your own conversation all the time. I don’t know where people got this idea, but it’s not necessary. Native speakers use phrasal verbs a lot, but you, as an English learner, you don’t have to use phrasal verbs all the time. Many speakers, native speakers, don’t use phrasal verbs so much. For most speakers, or sometimes, British – English, they don’t use phrasal verbs as often as some people, like myself, I don’t use phrasal verbs very often. But you, as a learner, I don’t want you to think that it’s necessary to use phrasal verbs while speaking English. One thing that happens when learners do try to use them all the time is it sounds forced; it sounds like you’re trying too hard to sound like a native speaker, and you can avoid this by simply not using them as much in your own speaking.

So, what can you do instead, even though I’m recommending not trying to force them into your conversations? You do need to understand when other people use them. Comprehension comes first. Understanding others, especially native speakers, comes before you need to use them yourself.

So, focusing on the meaning and spending time learning about them, and reading and listening to content with phrasal verbs, and just really trying to absorb the meaning behind them without thinking that you need to use them yourself, is the key. Focus on comprehension. Over time, after you hear certain phrasal many times, they will become easier for you to start using in your own conversation, but you don’t have to start there, and you don’t need to force them into your conversation. You can understand what other people say without using them on your own, and you can avoid using phrasal verbs by using the original meanings. All phrasal verbs is take on the meaning of longer words or other ways of saying things. For example, pick up. I’m going to pick her up at the store. You don’t have to say “pick up,” you could say “get her.” I’m going to get her at the store. Easy, or “put off.” We’re going to have to put off this meeting. Of course, if you know how to use “put off,” use it, but if you’re uncomfortable to say, “We’re going to have to delay this meeting,” or “We’re going to have to have this meeting another time.” Easy. Simplified.

When you are ready, if you’re really ready to attack phrasal verbs, then make sure you start small. Learn maybe one phrasal verb a day, and don’t do more than this. Just focus on a few phrasal verbs. If you learn, let’s say thirty phrasal verbs in one month; every day, you spent focusing on one phrasal verb. Being able to use thirty phrasal verbs correctly would be wonderful, would be great for you. So don’t try to study a list of a hundred phrasal verbs because while you probably won’t remember them all, but even more than that, you’ll try to use them and you’ll sound forced, like you’re trying too hard to sound native, and that’s just not necessary.

Simplify.

So, action steps for today: First of all, slow down. Don’t think you need to start using phrasal verbs all the time, so you can sound like a native speaker. I want you to focus on comprehension, understanding native speakers when they use phrasal verbs, but feeling comfortable in the fact that you don’t have to use them. You can just explain things in a normal way, and slowly, you can start to integrate phrasal verbs into your own speaking. Just don’t think you need to use phrasal verbs all the time to sound like a superstar English speaker because you don’t.

Learn them slowly, learn them a few at a time, and build this repertoire of phrasal verbs over time through reading and listening and a lot of comprehension. Input is the key. Put all that English into your head, see the same things many times, over and over and over, and eventually, naturally, you will use this in your own speaking without forcing it. Okay?

So, I hope that helps. It should. Relax. Slow down. Thanks to José and Israel for their questions. I’ll be having a super duper weekend, and I will talk to you soon. Bye!