Communication Phrasal Verbs
Learn phrasal verbs that describe how we communicate.
Speaking
| Phrasal Verb | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| speak up | lauter sprechen | Can you speak up? I can’t hear you. |
| talk about | über etwas reden | Let’s talk about the project. |
| bring up | ansprechen/erwähnen | Don’t bring up politics at dinner. |
| point out | hinweisen auf | She pointed out the mistake. |
| put forward | vorschlagen | He put forward a new idea. |
Understanding
| Phrasal Verb | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| find out | herausfinden | I need to find out the truth. |
| figure out | verstehen/herausfinden | I can’t figure out this puzzle. |
| work out | lösen/klären | We’ll work out the details later. |
| make out | verstehen/entziffern | I can’t make out what he’s saying. |
Responding
| Phrasal Verb | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get back to | zurückkommen auf | I’ll get back to you on that. |
| call back | zurückrufen | Can you call me back later? |
| hang up | auflegen | Don’t hang up on me! |
| hold on | warten | Hold on, I’ll check. |
Agreeing & Disagreeing
| Phrasal Verb | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| go along with | zustimmen | I’ll go along with your plan. |
| stand for | für etwas stehen | I won’t stand for this behavior. |
| back up | unterstützen | Will you back me up in the meeting? |
| let down | enttäuschen | Don’t let me down. |
Many communication phrasal verbs are separable: bring up a topic, talk over a problem. Others are inseparable: speak up (= speak louder) cannot be split. Always check whether the object can go between the verb and particle.