In English, we often use special phrases called “phrasal verbs” to talk about relationships. These phrases are made of a verb (an action word) and a preposition (a small word like ‘up’ or ‘out’). They might seem tricky, but they’re just a fun way to talk about friends, family, and love. Here’s a simple guide to help you understand some common relationship phrasal verbs.
Phrasal Verbs for Relationship
Here are phrasal verbs related to relationships, complete with meanings and example sentences:
Break up – To end a romantic relationship.
- They decided to break up after realizing they wanted different things in life.
Get back together – To resume a romantic relationship after breaking up.
- After a few months apart, they got back together.
Go out with – To date someone.
- She’s been going out with him for a couple of months now.
Go through – To endure or experience, especially something challenging in a relationship.
- They’ve gone through a lot together, which has only made their bond stronger.
Fall out – To have a disagreement that leads to a relationship strain.
- They fell out over something trivial and haven’t spoken since.
Settle down – To become stable in one’s life, often in terms of a long-term relationship or living situation.
- They’re planning to settle down and buy a house together next year.
Grow apart – To gradually become less close to someone.
- As they pursued different interests, they grew apart.
Split up – Similar to break up; to end a relationship.
- They decided to split up after two years of constant arguing.
Cheer up – To make someone feel better or happier.
- He bought her flowers to cheer her up after a tough day.
Drift apart – To become less close over time.
- As the years passed, they slowly drifted apart.
Cool off – To take a break in a relationship, especially to reduce intense emotions or conflict.
- They decided to cool off for a few weeks to think things through.
Lead on – To make someone believe there is a chance of a romantic relationship when there is not.
- He was accused of leading her on by being overly flirtatious.
Fall for – To begin to feel romantic love for someone.
- She fell for him the moment they met.
Pair up – To form a couple or team.
- For the dance, everyone was asked to pair up.
Hook up – A casual romantic or sexual encounter without the commitment of a relationship.
- They hooked up at the party but decided to remain friends.
Hang out – To spend time together in a casual setting.
- They love hanging out at the beach on weekends.
Work out – To resolve issues in a relationship or to find that a relationship is successful.
- Despite their differences, they really worked things out.
Put up with – To tolerate someone’s behavior.
- She couldn’t put up with his constant lateness anymore.
Patch up – To repair a relationship after a dispute or misunderstanding.
- They managed to patch up their friendship after a sincere talk.
Stand up – To fail to meet someone as planned, especially in a romantic context.
- He stood her up on their second date, and she never forgave him.
Open up – To become more emotionally transparent or vulnerable with someone.
- It took him a while, but he finally opened up about his feelings.
Call off – To cancel plans, including engagements or weddings.
- They had to call off the wedding due to unforeseen circumstances.
Move in together – To start living together in the same home.
- After dating for a year, they decided to move in together.
Look after – To take care of someone.
- He looked after her when she was sick.
Make up – To reconcile after a disagreement or fight.
- After a heated argument, they made up and apologized to each other.
Make out – To kiss passionately.
- They were making out in the back of the cinema.
Hit it off – To quickly become good friends or romantic partners due to shared interests or chemistry.
- They hit it off right away at the party.
Ask out – To invite someone on a date.
- He finally asked her out after admiring her from afar for months.
Kick off – To start a relationship or an interaction, sometimes with a negative connotation.
- Their relationship kicked off with a bit of a misunderstanding.
Run into – To meet someone unexpectedly.
- She ran into an old flame while grocery shopping.
These phrasal verbs capture various aspects of relationships, from their beginnings and happy moments to challenges and endings. Understanding and using these expressions can help you describe relationship dynamics more richly in English.
