When talking about our daily routines and lifestyle, we often rely on phrasal verbs to express ourselves naturally. Whether you’re talking about your morning routine or making lifestyle changes, these phrasal verbs will come in handy! Here we explore seven phrasal verbs that are closely related to different aspects of lifestyle, along with explanations and examples.
7 common phrasal verbs to talk about everyday life
1. Wake up
This is probably the most essential phrasal verb when talking about your lifestyle! "Wake up" means to stop sleeping and become conscious. It's often used when discussing morning routines or the time when someone begins their day. The difference between wake up and get up is that you can wake up but still be in bed. To get up means to leave the bed.
Do you get up as soon as you wake up, or do you like to stay in bed an contemplate the day first? (Ti alzi appena si sveglia o preferisci prima rimanere a letto a contemplare l'inizio della giornata?)
Examples
- “I usually wake up at 6 a.m. on weekdays, but at the weekend, I sleep in.” (“Di solito mi sveglio alle 6 del mattino nei giorni feriali, ma nel fine settimana dormo fino a tardi”.)
- “She woke up late today because she forgot to set her alarm." (“Oggi si è svegliata tardi perché ha dimenticato di mettere la sveglia”.)
- “Do you find it hard to wake up in winter?” (Trovi difficile svegliarti in inverno?”.)
2. Work out
"Work out" refers to exercising to stay fit and healthy. Many people incorporate workouts into their lifestyles to maintain a balanced life, whether it's through going to the gym or doing yoga at home. Be careful with this phrasal verb, it also has a different meaning which is to calculate!
Examples
- “I try to work out at least three times a week to stay in shape.” (“Cerco di allenarmi almeno tre volte alla settimana per mantenermi in forma”.)
- “He’s been working out regularly, and you can see the difference in his energy levels.” (“Si allena regolarmente e si vede la differenza nei suoi livelli di energia”.)
- “If you want to feel more active, you should start working out in the morning.” (“Se vuoi sentirti più attivo, dovresti iniziare ad allenarti al mattino”.)
3. Cut down on
This phrasal verb means to reduce the amount of something, especially when it comes to habits or consumption that are part of a lifestyle. It’s often used when talking about reducing unhealthy foods, habits, or expenses.
Examples
- “I’ve decided to cut down on sugar because I want to improve my diet.” (“Ho deciso di ridurre lo zucchero perché voglio migliorare la mia dieta”.)
- “She cut down on her coffee intake after her doctor advised her to.” (“Ha ridotto il consumo di caffè dopo che il medico glielo ha consigliato”.)
- “They’re cutting down on unnecessary spending to save for their vacation.”(“Stanno riducendo le spese superflue per risparmiare per le vacanze”.)
4. Chill out
"Chill out" is a great phrasal verb when talking about relaxation and taking it easy. It means to relax and reduce stress, and is often used when describing free time or unwinding after a long day.
Examples
- “After a busy day at work, I love to chill out with a good book.” (“Dopo una giornata intensa di lavoro, mi piace rilassarmi con un buon libro”.)
- “We had a great weekend. We didn’t do much, we just chilled out at home.” (“Abbiamo trascorso un bel fine settimana. Non abbiamo fatto molto, ci siamo rilassati a casa”.)
- “Let’s chill out by the pool today and just enjoy the sunshine.” (“Oggi ci rilassiamo in piscina e ci godiamo il sole”.)
5. Give up
This phrasal verb is frequently used in lifestyle conversations, particularly when talking about quitting a habit or something that was previously a part of your routine. "Give up" means to stop doing something, often something you’ve tried to quit for a while.
Examples
- “I gave up smoking two years ago, and I feel much healthier now.” (“Ho smesso di fumare due anni fa e ora mi sento molto più in salute”.)
- “She’s trying to give up junk food to focus on healthier eating habits.” (“Sta cercando di rinunciare al cibo spazzatura per concentrarsi su abitudini alimentari più sane”.)
- “He gave up watching TV during the week to focus more on his studies.” (“Ha rinunciato a guardare la TV durante la settimana per concentrarsi maggiormente sugli studi”.)
6. Take up
This one is the opposite of "give up" and refers to starting a new hobby, activity, or habit. "Take up" is used when people decide to begin something new as part of their lifestyle or routine.
Examples
- “I took up yoga last month, and it has really helped me feel more relaxed.” (“Ho iniziato a praticare yoga il mese scorso e mi ha aiutato molto a sentirmi più rilassata”.)
- “He’s taking up painting as a new hobby during his free time.” (“Sta iniziando a dipingere come nuovo hobby nel tempo libero”.)
- “You should take up cycling! It’s a great way to stay fit and explore the outdoors.” (“Dovresti andare in bicicletta! È un ottimo modo per tenersi in forma ed esplorare l'aria aperta”.)
7. Stay in
"Stay in" refers to choosing not to go out and instead remain at home. This is often used when talking about lifestyle choices for weekends or evenings, especially when you want to relax rather than go out.
Examples
- "We stayed in last night and watched a movie instead of going to the party.” (“Ieri sera siamo rimasti a casa a guardare un film invece di andare alla festa”.)
- “On rainy days, I prefer to stay in and bake some cookies.” ("Nei giorni di pioggia, preferisco stare a casa e cucinare dei biscotti”.)
- “After a busy week, I just want to stay in and catch up on sleep this Saturday.” (“Dopo una settimana impegnativa, questo sabato voglio solo stare a casa e recuperare il sonno".)
Learning and using phrasal verbs can make your English sound more natural, especially when talking about everyday routines and lifestyle choices. Now that you’ve got a handle on these seven verbs, try using them in your daily conversations!
Below are some exercises to help you practise. Remember you can do them over and over again until you know the phrasal verbs off by heart!