Mastering English Vocabulary: Phrasal Verbs, Idioms & More

Posted on Aug 5, 2025 in English

Common English Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs with “Put”

  • Put up with – Aguantar
  • Put out – Apagar
  • Put forward – Presentar
  • Put off – Posponer
  • Put down – Humillar
  • Put up – Poner

Phrasal Verbs with “See”

  • Saw off – Despedirse
  • See out – Quedarse hasta el final
  • See to – Ocuparse de
  • See through – A través de
  • See into – Verse/Comprender

Essential English Idioms & Expressions

  • With a pinch of salt – Con un grano de sal
  • Bit my head off – Me regañó duramente
  • I’ll eat my hat – Me comeré mi sombrero (expresión de incredulidad)
  • Put all your eggs in one basket – Poner todos los huevos en una canasta
  • To have your cake and eat it too – Querer tenerlo todo
  • Bite off more than you can chew – Abarcar más de lo que se puede
  • Not my cup of tea – No es de mi agrado
  • Selling like hot cakes – Vendiéndose como pan caliente
  • A piece of cake – Pan comido, muy fácil
  • A couch potato – Teleadicto, persona sedentaria

Expressions with “Go”

  • Have a go – Intentar, probar
  • On the go – Ocupado, en movimiento
  • Go broke – Quedarse sin dinero
  • Go mad – Perder la cabeza, volverse loco
  • Go bald – Quedarse calvo
  • Go from bad to worse – Empeorar, ir de mal en peor

Expressions with “Thing”

  • The next best thing – La siguiente mejor opción
  • The real thing – Lo auténtico, lo verdadero
  • No such thing – No existe tal cosa
  • Make a big thing about – Hacer un drama de algo
  • Have a thing about – Tener una obsesión con
  • Just the thing for – Justo lo que se necesita para

Common English Prefixes

  • Re- – Again (e.g., reappear)
  • In- – Not (e.g., independent)
  • Mis- – Wrong/Incorrect (e.g., misjudge)
  • Co- – Together (e.g., coexist)
  • En- – To cause/make (e.g., entrust)
  • Inter- – Between (e.g., interdependent)
  • Non- – Not (e.g., non-existent)
  • Bi- – Two (e.g., bicycle)
  • Over- – Too much (e.g., overdone)
  • Under- – Too little (e.g., underdone)

American vs. British English Vocabulary

Common Differences

  • Yard (US) / Garden (UK)
  • Fortnight (UK) / Two weeks (US)
  • French fries (US) / Chips (UK)
  • Pants (US) / Trousers (UK)
  • Sidewalk (US) / Pavement (UK)
  • Faucet (US) / Tap (UK)
  • Cookie (US) / Biscuit (UK)
  • Drugstore (US) / Chemist’s (UK)
  • Vacation (US) / Holiday (UK)
  • Gas (US) / Petrol (UK)
  • Truck (US) / Lorry (UK)
  • Fall (US) / Autumn (UK)
  • Flashlight (US) / Torch (UK)
  • Candies (US) / Sweets (UK)
  • Cab (US) / Taxi (UK)
  • Apartment (US) / Flat (UK)
  • Movie (US) / Film (UK)
  • Elevator (US) / Lift (UK)
  • Purse (US) / Handbag (UK)
  • Mail (US) / Post (UK)
  • Subway (US) / Underground (UK)
  • Closet (US) / Wardrobe (UK)
  • Shopping cart (US) / Trolley (UK)

Additional English Vocabulary

  • Charm – Atractivo
  • Self-consciousness – Timidez, cohibición
  • Devised – Ideado
  • Deserved – Merecido
  • Enthusiastic – Entusiasta
  • Runs counter to – Ir en contra de / Conflict with
  • Hop – Saltar / Jump on one foot
  • Proposal – Propuesta / Idea
  • Judge – Form an opinion about
  • Value – Principle
  • Prosper – Succeed financially
  • Banned – Prohibido
  • Expelled – Expulsado
  • Read aloud – Leer en voz alta
  • Start out – Empezar
  • Upcoming – Próxima
  • Disappear – Desaparecer
  • Premature – Prematuro
  • Prejudge – Juzgar de antemano
  • Immature – Childish
  • Distrust – Desconfiar