Phrasal Verbs to Get By: 16 Phrases You Can Use Starting Today
Have you ever felt like English operates on a secret code nobody bothered to teach you?
You memorise the grammar rules, study the vocabulary lists, and then someone says "I am just getting by". Suddenly, you are lost again. What does getting by even mean? You know the words get and by, but together they tell a completely different story.
Here is the truth. You are not missing something complicated. Phrasal verbs are simply a practical tool to turn dense ideas into everyday vocabulary. Get by describes that exact feeling of managing a difficult situation with just the essentials. It is like surviving your first weeks in a new country with a little English and a lot of courage. É o nosso famoso "se virar".
If you are building a new life in Ireland through a second language, I see you. I have been there. Let's make this easier.
So, What Exactly Is a Phrasal Verb?
Good question. A phrasal verb is what happens when you take a simple action word like get, come, take, or give, and pair it with a small direction word called a particle like in, out, up, or away. That little combination completely shifts the meaning.
The formula is straightforward:
Verb (Action) + Particle (Direction/Result) = Phrasal Verb
Here is a detail that makes them much easier to learn. The particle never changes. You can adjust the verb to talk about the past or the present, but the particle stays exactly the same. Once you learn the pattern, you are already halfway there.
16 Phrasal Verbs, 4 Verbs, 4 Particles
Today we are going to take just four common verbs (get, come, take, give) and mix them with four simple particles to unlock 16 powerful new phrases. Let's break them down by particle.
IN
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Get in | To succeed in entering a place |
| Come in | To enter a room or building |
| Take in | To fully understand the meaning or importance of something |
| Give in | To finally agree to something after refusing for a while |
Dublin life example: "It was hard to take in all the information at the visa appointment. There was so much to process."
OUT
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Get out | To leave a closed vehicle or building |
| Come out | To go somewhere with someone for a social event |
| Take out | To borrow an amount of money from a bank |
| Give out | To complain about something (Irish English, informal) |
A cultural note: "Give out" is one of my absolute favourite Irish expressions to teach. If your Irish colleague says "my manager was giving out about the report", they simply mean their manager was complaining. The word give is doing something very specific here, and you will not find this meaning in most standard coursebooks.
UP
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Get up | To stand up, or to get out of bed |
| Come up | To happen, usually unexpectedly |
| Take up | To fill a specific amount of space or time |
| Give up | To stop owning, using, or claiming something |
Quick reminder: Do not give up on your English journey. I know it feels exhausting sometimes, but the fact that you are here reading this already says a lot about your resilience. Um passo de cada vez.
AWAY
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Get away | To leave or escape from a difficult person or place |
| Come away | To become separated from something |
| Take away | To get a key message or piece of info from what you read or heard |
| Give away | To give something to someone for free |
The main take away from today's lesson? One pattern, four verbs, four particles, and suddenly you have 16 new phrases in your vocabulary.
Practice: Your First Weeks in Ireland
Now let's put these into context. Here are eight sentences about everyday life in Ireland. Can you fill in the gaps with the right phrasal verb, in the correct form?
You’ll find these eight sentences as interactive exercises in the Exercises section just below this article — choose the right verb in each gap and hit Check for instant feedback.
Time to Reflect
Now that you are comfortable with these 16 phrases, let's look for more.
Are there other common verbs that you can use with in, out, up, or away? This week, pay attention to the conversations around you on the Luas, in the coffee shop, or at work. You might be surprised by how many phrasal verbs you start to notice once you know exactly what to look for.
Write down one phrasal verb you hear someone say in Dublin this week and bring it to our next class. I would love to hear what you found.
Exercises
"The Leap Card is great. You just tap it when you in the bus."
"I am so tired today. It was very hard to up at 7:00 AM for class."
"Dublin is busy, but I want to away to the mountains this weekend."
"My flatmate is out because I left the dishes in the sink again!" (This is Irish slang for complaining.)
"Do you want to out for a coffee after our English lesson?"
"This grammar is difficult, but don’t up. You are doing a great job."
"I need to out some money from the ATM to buy my groceries."
"Welcome to the classroom. Please, in and take a seat."