Phrasal Verbs, Suffixes, and Prefixes in English: Mastering Vocabulary and Usage

Phrasal Verbs, Suffixes, and Prefixes in English

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are combinations of verbs and prepositions or adverbs that, together, have a different meaning from the individual words. Here's a categorized list of common phrasal verbs with examples:

Break

• Break a promise: Romper una promesa.
• Break a record: Batir un récord.
• Break someone's heart: Romperle el corazón a alguien.
• Break the habit: Dejar un hábito.
• Break the ice: Romper el hielo.
• Break the law: Infringir la ley.
• Break the monotony: Romper la monotonía.
• Break the news: Dar una noticia (generalmente mala o importante).

Bring

• Bring back: Devolver.
• Bring forward: Adelantar (una reunión, por ejemplo).
• Bring in: Ganar (dinero).
• Bring up: Mencionar un tema; criar a un niño.
• Bring on: Causar.
• Bring down: Reducir.

Come

• Come across: Encontrarse con (algo o alguien) por casualidad.
• Come apart: Desmoronarse, romperse en pedazos.
• Come down on: Criticar duramente.
• Come round: Visitar a alguien en su casa; recobrar el conocimiento.
• Come through: Sobrevivir a una situación difícil.
• Come up with: Ocurrirsele una idea, plan, etc.

Put

• Stand by: Apoyar a alguien.
• Put forward: Proponer.
• Put it off: Posponer.
• Put it out: Extinguir (un fuego).
• Put me down: Criticar, menospreciar.
• Put up: Construir; alojar a alguien.
• Put up with it: Tolerar.

Run

• Run an errand: Hacer un recado.
• Run short: Escasear.
• Run wild: Correr libremente; descontrolarse.
• Running a risk: Correr un riesgo.
• Running a temperature: Tener fiebre.
• Runs in the family: Ser común en la familia.

See

• See off: Despedir a alguien que se va de viaje.
• See into: Acompañar a alguien al interior de un lugar.
• See out: Acompañar a alguien hasta la puerta.
• See through: Darse cuenta de las verdaderas intenciones de alguien; no dejarse engañar.
• See to: Encargarse de algo.

Stand

• Stand by: Apoyar.
• Stand for: Significar.
• Stand in for: Sustituir.
• Stand out: Destacar.
• Stand up: Levantarse.
• Stand up to: Enfrentarse a alguien/algo; resistir.

Turn

• Turn out: Resultar.
• Turn up: Aparecer; subir el volumen.
• Turn in: Irse a la cama; entregar algo/alguien.
• Turned away: Rechazar, prohibir la entrada.
• Turned on: Atacar repentinamente.
• Turned round: Darse la vuelta.
• Turns into: Convertirse en.

Suffixes

Suffixes are added to the end of a word to change its meaning or grammatical function. Here are some examples:

• Acceptable / Acceptably / Acceptance
• Appreciation / Appreciative / Appreciatively
• Complicated
• Creation
• Descriptive / Descriptively / Description
• Devoted / Devotedly / Devotion
• Disastrous
• Enjoyable / Enjoyably / Enjoyment
• Experimental
• Imaginative
• Kindness
• Nervous
• Obedience
• Origin / Original / Originally
• Player / Playful / Playfully
• Polluted
• Possibility
• Profit / Profitable / Profitably
• Recognisable
• Secure / Securely / Security
• Use / Useful / Usefully

Prefixes

Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Here are some common examples:

• In-: Not (e.g., *in*correct)
• Mis-: Wrong (e.g., *mis*understand)
• Co-: Together (e.g., *co*operate)
• Inter-: Between (e.g., *inter*national)
• En-: To cause or make happen (e.g., *en*large)
• Non-: Not (e.g., *non*sense)
• Bi-: Two (e.g., *bi*lingual)
• Over-: Too much (e.g., *over*eat)