Phrasal verbs for relationships help us describe every stage of a love story, from asking someone out and falling in love to drifting apart, making up or breaking up. These expressions are extremely common in everyday conversations, films, television series and books.
In this lesson, you will learn 13 common phrasal verbs for relationships, with clear meanings, natural examples, grammar notes and practice exercises. They are particularly useful for B2 First and C1 Advanced learners who want to sound more natural when speaking and writing about dating, love and relationships.
The following phrasal verbs for relationships cover dating, attraction, relationship problems, separation and reconciliation.
1. Ask Someone Out
Meaning: to invite someone to go on a romantic date
Structure
ask + someone + out
- He finally asked her out.
- Why don’t you ask Tom out?
Because this phrasal verb is separable, the person comes between ask and out.
- I think Brenda likes you. Why don’t you ask her out?
- He had wanted to ask her out for weeks, but he was too nervous.
Common mistake
Incorrect: He asked out her.
Correct: He asked her out.
When the object is a pronoun such as him or her, it must go between the verb and the particle.
2. Break Up
Meaning: to end a romantic relationship
When we mention the other person, we normally say break up with someone.
- Jim has been miserable since he broke up with his girlfriend.
- They broke up after five years together.
Grammar note
Break up is irregular:
- present: break up
- past: broke up
- past participle: broken up
They have broken up.
Do not say: They have breaked up.
3. Cheat on Someone
Meaning: to be unfaithful to a romantic partner
Structure
cheat on + someone
- She discovered that her husband had cheated on her.
- They split up because he was cheating on her with a colleague.
Usage note
The person after on is the partner who has been betrayed.
- He cheated on his wife.
The person introduced by with is the other person involved.
- He cheated on his wife with a colleague.
4. Drift Apart
Meaning: to gradually become less close without necessarily having a serious argument
People often drift apart because their lives, interests or priorities change.
- Over the years, they slowly drifted apart.
- We did not have a major argument; we simply drifted apart.
Usage note
We can use drift apart for romantic partners, friends or family members.
- We used to be close friends, but we drifted apart after school.
5. Fall for Someone
Meaning: to begin to love someone or feel strongly attracted to them
- He fell for her the moment they met.
- She never expected to fall for someone she worked with.
Grammar note
Fall is irregular:
- present: fall
- past: fell
- past participle: fallen
She has fallen for him.
Another meaning
Fall for something can also mean to believe a trick or lie.
- I cannot believe you fell for that old excuse.
The context normally makes the meaning clear.
6. Go Out With Someone
Meaning: to have a romantic relationship with someone
Structure
go out with + someone
- We have been going out for three months.
- How long had you been going out before you got engaged?
Useful question
- How long have you two been going out?
This means: How long have you been in a relationship?
Do not confuse this meaning with the ordinary meaning of leaving your home.
- I am going out tonight.
In this sentence, it simply means that the speaker is leaving home to socialise.
7. Grow Apart
Meaning: to gradually become less emotionally connected because two people change
- As they grew older, they grew apart.
- After several years, they began to grow apart and eventually separated.
Drift apart or grow apart?
These two phrasal verbs are very similar, but there is a slight difference.
Drift apart suggests that contact or closeness gradually disappears, often without anyone making a conscious decision.
- We stopped seeing one another regularly and slowly drifted apart.
Grow apart often suggests that people change and no longer share the same values, interests or goals.
- They wanted different things from life and gradually grew apart.
In everyday conversation, however, people often use the two expressions interchangeably.
8. Hook Up With Someone
Meaning: to begin a romantic or sexual connection with someone, often casually
- She hooked up with someone she met at a party.
- Apparently, Jack and Mia hooked up last weekend.
Important usage note
Hook up is informal, and its meaning can vary according to the speaker and context. It may refer to:
- meeting and beginning a relationship
- kissing
- having a brief or casual sexual encounter
For this reason, use it carefully. It is suitable for informal conversation but not usually appropriate in formal writing or most exam essays.
9. Lead Someone On
Meaning: to make someone believe that you are romantically interested in them when you are not
Structure
lead + someone + on
- He never intended to marry her; he was simply leading her on.
- Do not lead him on if you are not interested in a relationship.
Grammar note
Lead is irregular:
- present: lead
- past: led
- past participle: led
He led her on.
Do not write leaded.
10. Make Up
Meaning: to become friendly again after an argument
When we mention the other person, we normally use make up with someone.
- They had a terrible argument, but they made up later that evening.
- Have you made up with your boyfriend yet?
Common mistake
Incorrect: He bought her flowers to make up.
This sentence feels incomplete unless we already know exactly what happened.
Better: He bought her flowers to make up with her.
Or: He bought her flowers to make up for forgetting her birthday.
Make up or make up for?
Make up with someone means to become friendly again.
- I finally made up with my sister.
Make up for something means to compensate for a mistake or unpleasant situation.
- He cooked dinner to make up for arriving late.
11. Put Up with Someone or Something
Meaning: to tolerate an annoying or unpleasant person, situation or type of behaviour
Structure
put up with + person, behaviour or situation
- She could not put up with his lies any longer.
- I do not know how you put up with his bad temper.
Grammar note
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.
Correct: I cannot put up with him.
Incorrect: I cannot put him up with.
Be careful: put someone up has a completely different meaning. It means to allow someone to stay in your home temporarily.
- We can put you up for the weekend.
12. Settle Down
Meaning: to begin living a calmer, more stable life, often with a long-term partner
- After years of travelling, they decided to settle down.
- Her parents were pleased to see her settle down and start a family.
Useful structures
- settle down
- settle down with someone
- settle down and get married
- settle down and start a family
He eventually settled down with someone he had known since childhood.
Although settle down is often connected with marriage or family life, it can also simply mean becoming calmer or adopting a more stable lifestyle.
13. Split Up
Meaning: to end a romantic relationship or marriage
- Have you heard? Jill and Mark have split up.
- They split up after six years together.
Split up or break up?
In relationship contexts, split up and break up have almost the same meaning.
- They broke up last year.
- They split up last year.
Split up is particularly common in British English, while break up is widely used in both British and American English.
A Relationship Story Using Phrasal Verbs
Reading these phrasal verbs for relationships in context will make them easier to understand and remember.
From First Date to Fresh Start
Leo had liked Emma for months before he finally found the courage to ask her out. To his surprise, she said yes, and they soon began going out regularly.
It did not take Leo long to fall for her. At first, everything seemed perfect. They spent nearly every weekend together and rarely disagreed about anything.
However, after a couple of years, their lives began to change. Emma wanted to travel and focus on her career, while Leo was ready to settle down. Gradually, they grew apart. They still cared about each other, but they no longer wanted the same future.
Leo tried to put up with the situation, hoping that things would improve. Instead, the couple continued to drift apart. Eventually, Emma decided that it would be kinder to end the relationship than to lead him on.
They split up, and for several months they did not speak. Later, however, they met for coffee, discussed what had happened and finally made up. They did not get back together, but they became friends again.
Sometimes a relationship ends not because someone has done something terrible, but because two people have simply chosen different paths.
Phrasal Verbs for Relationships Quiz
Learn Phrasal Verbs Through Stories
Would you like to learn more phrasal verbs in memorable, realistic situations?
The Unlock English series teaches useful phrasal verbs through engaging short stories, clear explanations and practical exercises. Each book helps learners understand how phrasal verbs are used in context rather than memorising disconnected lists.
The series includes:
- Unlock English 1 for A2–B1 learners
- Unlock English 2 for B1–B2 learners
- Unlock English 3 for B2–C1 learners
Each book contains 30 illustrated stories, useful expressions, comprehension activities, speaking questions and writing practice.
Explore the Unlock English Phrasal Verbs Collection
Phrasal Verbs for Relationships: Speaking Questions
Discuss these questions with a partner or answer them on your own.
- Do you think it is better to ask someone out in person or by message?
- Why do some couples gradually drift apart?
- Is it possible to remain friends after breaking up?
- What kinds of behaviour should people not put up with in a relationship?
- Why might someone be afraid to settle down?
- What is the difference between falling for someone and truly knowing them?
Writing Task
Write a short story about a relationship using at least six phrasal verbs from this lesson.
You could write about:
- two people meeting for the first time
- a couple experiencing difficulties
- friends helping someone through a break-up
- two people making up after an argument
- someone deciding whether to settle down
Write approximately 150–190 words.
Final Thoughts
These phrasal verbs for relationships are extremely common in everyday English. They allow you to talk naturally about meeting someone, falling in love, experiencing difficulties, ending a relationship and making a fresh start.
Try not to learn them as isolated expressions. Notice the words that come after them:
- ask someone out
- go out with someone
- cheat on someone
- fall for someone
- lead someone on
- put up with someone
- make up with someone
- break up with someone
Learning the complete structure will make it much easier to use each expression correctly.
And remember: relationships may be complicated, but at least the vocabulary does not have to be.
Related posts:
- Phrasal Verbs Archives
- B2 First Use of English
- C1 Advanced Vocabulary
- 33 Adjectives to Describe a Relationship
- 19 Phrasal Verbs about Friendship
- Talking about Friends and Friendship in English
- 40 Idioms That Describe Feelings and Emotions in English
- How to Learn 10 Phrasal Verbs a Week
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15 Phrasal Verbs for Daily Routines - My Lingua Academy · 14 Oct 2023 at 9:52 am
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