The mastery of English, particularly in its idiomatic expressions, hinges significantly upon a robust comprehension of Phrasal Verbs. These linguistic constructs—combinations of a verb and an adverb, a preposition, or both—often possess a meaning distinct from the individual words themselves, posing a perennial challenge for non-native speakers. For Hindi speakers, the most efficacious route to internalization is through direct, contextual translation and nuanced explanation. This compendium serves as an exhaustive guide to 50 essential Phrasal Verbs, complete with their Hindi equivalents and illustrative elucidations, facilitating the transition from merely recognizing to expertly utilizing this core facet of the English lexicon.
The Mechanics of Phrasal Verbs
A Phrasal Verb operates as a single semantic unit. The particle (preposition or adverb) modifies the base verb, creating a new lexical entity. Their usage is ubiquitous in colloquial and informal English, which is why a deficient understanding can lead to significant interpretational lacunae.
For example, the verb look means to see, but the Phrasal Verbs look up (to search for information) and look after (to take care of) carry entirely disparate meanings.
Part I: The Foundational 15 Phrasal Verbs
Here is a meticulous deconstruction of the first fifteen Phrasal Verbs, offering both transitive and intransitive examples where applicable.
| Phrasal Verb | Hindi Translation (Main Sense) | Elucidation | Example (English) | Example (Hindi) |
| 1. Break down | To stop functioning / To become emotionally distressed (ख़राब हो जाना / भावुक हो जाना) | Refers to a mechanical failure or a psychological collapse. | The car broke down on the highway. | गाड़ी हाईवे पर ख़राब हो गई। |
| 2. Call off | To cancel (रद्द कर देना) | Used when an event or plan is terminated. | They had to call off the meeting. | उन्हें मीटिंग रद्द करनी पड़ी। |
| 3. Look up | To search for information (ढूँढना / खोजना) | Specifically refers to consulting a reference source like a dictionary or the internet. | I need to look up the definition of this word. | मुझे इस शब्द का अर्थ ढूँढना है। |
| 4. Give up | To stop trying / To surrender (हार मान लेना / छोड़ देना) | Signifies cessation of effort or relinquishment. | Never give up on your dreams. | अपने सपनों को कभी मत छोड़ना। |
| 5. Put off | To postpone / To delay (टाल देना) | To reschedule something for a later time. | Don’t put off your work until tomorrow. | अपना काम कल तक टालो मत। |
| 6. Take off | To remove clothing / To leave the ground (for a plane) (उतारना / उड़ान भरना) | The dual meaning depends on the context (clothing or aviation). | The plane is ready to take off. | विमान उड़ने के लिए तैयार है। |
| 7. Bring up | To mention a topic / To raise a child (जिक्र करना / परवरिश करना) | Another dual-use verb; either introducing a subject or rearing offspring. | Please don’t bring up that argument again. | कृपया उस बहस का फिर से जिक्र मत करना। |
| 8. Turn down | To refuse an offer / To reduce volume/intensity (अस्वीकार करना / धीमा करना) | Declining a proposal or moderating a setting. | She turned down the job offer. | उसने नौकरी के प्रस्ताव को अस्वीकार कर दिया। |
| 9. Get over | To recover from (illness/shock) (उभरना / भूल जाना) | To return to a normal state after a difficult experience. | It took him a while to get over the flu. | फ्लू से उबरने में उसे कुछ समय लगा। |
| 10. Hold on | To wait briefly (इंतजार करना) | A request to pause or stay where one is. | Please hold on for a moment. | कृपया एक क्षण के लिए इंतजार करें। |
| 11. Set up | To establish / To prepare (स्थापित करना / तैयार करना) | Starting a new system, business, or arranging equipment. | They plan to set up a new branch office. | वे एक नई शाखा कार्यालय स्थापित करने की योजना बना रहे हैं। |
| 12. Look after | To take care of (देखभाल करना) | To assume responsibility for someone or something’s well-being. | My neighbour looked after my cat. | मेरे पड़ोसी ने मेरी बिल्ली की देखभाल की। |
| 13. Run out of | To use up the supply of (ख़त्म हो जाना) | To have no more of something left. | We have run out of milk. | हमारा दूध ख़त्म हो गया है। |
| 14. Come across | To find by chance (अचानक मिल जाना) | To encounter something or someone unexpectedly. | I came across an old photo album. | मुझे एक पुराना फोटो एल्बम अचानक मिल गया। |
| 15. Pass away | To die (गुजर जाना / निधन होना) | A softer, more formal euphemism for death. | His grandfather passed away last night. | उनके दादाजी का कल रात निधन हो गया। |
Part II: Intermediate Phrasal Verbs for Enhanced Fluency
Moving beyond the common structures, these Phrasal Verbs demonstrate a greater semantic divergence, demanding meticulous study for accurate deployment and interpretation. These lexical units are instrumental in conferring a native-like quality upon one’s English discourse.
| Phrasal Verb | Hindi Translation (Main Sense) | Elucidation | Example (English) | Example (Hindi) |
| 16. Get along (with) | To have a good relationship with (अच्छी तरह से बनना) | Signifies compatibility and mutual rapport. | Does she get along with her colleagues? | क्या उसकी अपने सहकर्मियों के साथ अच्छी तरह से बनती है? |
| 17. Put up with | To tolerate / To endure (बर्दाश्त करना / सहन करना) | To bear an unpleasant situation or person. | I cannot put up with this noise any longer. | मैं इस शोर को और बर्दाश्त नहीं कर सकता। |
| 18. Account for | To explain / To be the reason for (कारण बताना / वजह होना) | To provide a justification or constitute a significant portion of something. | How do you account for the discrepancy? | आप विसंगति का कारण कैसे बताते हैं? |
| 19. Do away with | To abolish / To get rid of (समाप्त करना / छुटकारा पाना) | To eliminate a practice, rule, or item. | They decided to do away with the old system. | उन्होंने पुरानी व्यवस्था को समाप्त करने का फैसला किया। |
| 20. Fall through | To fail / To not happen (असफल हो जाना) | Used when a plan or agreement collapses. | The deal fell through at the last minute. | अंतिम क्षण में सौदा असफल हो गया। |
| 21. Break in | To interrupt / To enter illegally (बाधा डालना / सेंध लगाना) | To interject in a conversation or commit a burglary. | He kept breaking in on our discussion. | वह हमारी चर्चा में बाधा डालता रहा। |
| 22. Check out | To investigate / To leave a hotel (जाँच करना / होटल छोड़ना) | A versatile verb covering examination and departure. | We should check out that new restaurant. | हमें उस नए रेस्टोरेंट की जाँच करनी चाहिए। |
| 23. Figure out | To solve / To understand (हल निकालना / समझना) | To comprehend or find a solution after deliberation. | I can’t figure out this puzzle. | मैं इस पहेली का हल नहीं निकाल सकता। |
| 24. Grow up | To mature / To become an adult (बड़ा होना / परिपक्व होना) | The process of reaching adulthood. | Where did you grow up? | तुम कहाँ बड़े हुए? |
| 25. Hand out | To distribute (वितरित करना) | To give something to each person in a group. | The teacher handed out the worksheets. | शिक्षक ने कार्यपत्रक वितरित किए। |
| 26. Lay off | To dismiss from a job (due to economic reasons) (छँटनी करना) | A corporate term for terminating employment. | The company had to lay off fifty workers. | कंपनी को पचास कर्मचारियों की छँटनी करनी पड़ी। |
| 27. Make up | To invent a story / To reconcile (कहानी बनाना / मेल-मिलाप करना) | To fabricate information or resolve a disagreement. | He made up a fantastic excuse. | उसने एक शानदार बहाना बनाया। |
| 28. Point out | To indicate / To draw attention to (इंगित करना / ध्यान दिलाना) | To direct notice to a specific detail or fact. | She pointed out the errors in the report. | उसने रिपोर्ट में त्रुटियों को इंगित किया। |
| 29. Stand by | To support / To be ready (समर्थन करना / तैयार रहना) | To maintain loyalty or be prepared for action. | I will stand by you no matter what. | जो भी हो, मैं तुम्हारा समर्थन करूँगा। |
| 30. Take on | To accept a responsibility / To hire (जिम्मेदारी लेना / काम पर रखना) | To undertake a task or recruit an employee. | I will take on this new project. | मैं यह नई परियोजना की जिम्मेदारी लूँगा। |
Part III: Advanced Phrasal Verbs and Semantic Subtlety
The final segment delves into Phrasal Verbs that may be less common but are essential for sophisticated communication and a complete understanding of idiomatic English. These terms often carry a higher register and are indicative of advanced linguistic dexterity.
| Phrasal Verb | Hindi Translation (Main Sense) | Elucidation | Example (English) | Example (Hindi) |
| 31. Dwell on | To think or speak too much about (सोचते रहना / रटना) | To obsessively focus on a particular issue or past event. | Don’t dwell on your past mistakes. | अपनी पिछली गलतियों पर सोचते मत रहो। |
| 32. Eke out | To obtain with difficulty (कठिनाई से गुज़ारा करना) | To manage a living or supply with great effort and scarcity. | He eked out a living as a street vendor. | उसने एक स्ट्रीट वेंडर के रूप में कठिनाई से गुज़ारा किया। |
| 33. Fend off | To defend against (विरोध करना / बचाव करना) | To repel an attack or ward off unwanted questions/attention. | The politician fended off tough questions. | राजनेता ने कठिन सवालों का विरोध किया। |
| 34. Get by | To manage with minimal resources (काम चलाना) | To survive or cope adequately with just enough. | We can get by on this small budget. | हम इस छोटे बजट में काम चला सकते हैं। |
| 35. Jot down | To write quickly (जल्दी से लिख लेना) | To make a brief, rapid note. | Please jot down her phone number. | कृपया उसका फ़ोन नंबर जल्दी से लिख लें। |
| 36. Lash out | To attack verbally or physically (भड़क उठना / हमला करना) | To suddenly speak or act violently or aggressively. | She suddenly lashed out at her friend. | वह अचानक अपनी सहेली पर भड़क उठी। |
| 37. Muddle through | To manage despite confusion (जैसे-तैसे संभाल लेना) | To succeed in a difficult situation without clear direction or plan. | We just have to muddle through the crisis. | हमें बस संकट को जैसे-तैसे संभालना होगा। |
| 38. Pencil in | To make a tentative arrangement (अस्थायी रूप से तय करना) | To schedule something provisionally, subject to confirmation. | I’ll pencil in a meeting for Tuesday. | मैं मंगलवार के लिए अस्थायी रूप से एक बैठक तय करूँगा। |
| 39. Round up | To gather or collect (इकट्ठा करना) | To bring people or animals together into a group. | The police rounded up the suspects. | पुलिस ने संदिग्धों को इकट्ठा किया। |
| 40. Steer clear of | To avoid (दूर रहना / बचना) | To deliberately keep away from someone or something. | Steer clear of that dangerous area. | उस खतरनाक इलाके से दूर रहें। |
| 41. Talk into | To persuade someone to do something (मना लेना / सहमत कर लेना) | To convince a person to agree to an action. | I talked him into buying the car. | मैंने उसे कार खरीदने के लिए मना लिया। |
| 42. Tie in with | To be consistent or connected with (तालमेल होना / जुड़ा होना) | To be in agreement or have a thematic connection. | The evidence doesn’t tie in with her story. | सबूत उसकी कहानी के साथ तालमेल नहीं खाते। |
| 43. Vouch for | To confirm the truth/quality of (सच्चाई की पुष्टि करना) | To guarantee the reliability or integrity of a person or statement. | I can vouch for his honesty. | मैं उसकी ईमानदारी की सच्चाई की पुष्टि कर सकता हूँ। |
| 44. Weigh in | To contribute to a discussion (योगदान देना / अपनी राय देना) | To offer one’s opinion or expertise in a debate. | The expert decided to weigh in on the issue. | विशेषज्ञ ने इस मुद्दे पर अपनी राय देने का फैसला किया। |
| 45. Zero in on | To focus one’s attention on (पर ध्यान केंद्रित करना) | To target or concentrate precisely on a subject. | The investigation zeroed in on the main suspect. | जाँच मुख्य संदिग्ध पर ध्यान केंद्रित हो गई। |
| 46. Blow over | To subside / To pass without serious consequences (गुज़र जाना / शांत हो जाना) | Used for storms, arguments, or periods of trouble. | Don’t worry, the storm will soon blow over. | चिंता मत करो, तूफान जल्द ही गुज़र जाएगा। |
| 47. Get across | To communicate effectively (समझाना / स्पष्ट करना) | To make an idea understandable to others. | It was hard to get the complex idea across. | जटिल विचार को समझाना कठिन था। |
| 48. Opt out (of) | To choose not to participate (भाग न लेने का विकल्प चुनना) | To decide to withdraw from a process or system. | Employees can opt out of the insurance plan. | कर्मचारी बीमा योजना से बाहर रहने का विकल्प चुन सकते हैं। |
| 49. Shrug off | To dismiss as unimportant (नजरअंदाज कर देना) | To treat something, often a concern, as trivial. | He shrugged off the criticism easily. | उसने आलोचना को आसानी से नजरअंदाज कर दिया। |
| 50. Team up | To collaborate (सहयोग करना / टीम बनाना) | To work together with others. | They teamed up to solve the problem. | उन्होंने समस्या को हल करने के लिए सहयोग किया। |
The Cruciality of Contextual Learning
Merely memorizing the Hindi translation of a Phrasal Verb is an insufficient pedagogical strategy. True acumen necessitates the assimilation of their semantic spectrum through varied contextual exposures. Many Phrasal Verbs are polysemous (having multiple meanings), which is a common source of linguistic discomfiture. For instance, clear up can mean to tidy a room (सफ़ाई करना) or for the weather to improve (मौसम का साफ हो जाना).
An effective methodology involves active assimilation:
- Contextual Scrutiny: Always scrutinize the surrounding text to deduce the precise meaning.
- Sentence Synthesis: Practice constructing your own sentences in English and then mentally translating the overall sentiment into Hindi, rather than word-for-word.
- Collocational Awareness: Note the nouns and adjectives that frequently accompany specific Phrasal Verbs (e.g., look forward to + event/meeting).
By adopting this disciplined approach, the seemingly daunting task of mastering 50 Phrasal Verbs and their Hindi counterparts transforms into a systematic and rewarding journey toward complete English fluency. This comprehensive exposition provides the necessary scaffolding to bridge the linguistic chasm and achieve genuine lexical dexterity.
