12 Phrasal Verbs with “Talk”

12 Phrasal Verbs with “Talk” (Meanings & Examples)

Hello, English learners 👋 Welcome to a fresh vocabulary lesson. The verb talk is simple—but once you add prepositions and particles, it becomes far more expressive. These phrasal verbs are common in everyday English and extremely useful for B2 First and C1 Advanced speaking and writing tasks.

Let’s walk through them clearly, naturally, and without waffle (unlike some people who talk around things 😉).

Talk about

Meaning: to discuss or mention a topic.

We need to talk about our plans for the weekend.

Can we talk about what happened yesterday?

Talk around

Meaning: to avoid the main point instead of speaking directly.

He kept talking around the issue without giving a clear answer.

Stop talking around the problem and say what you really mean.

Talk at

Meaning: to speak to someone without listening to them.

She talks at people rather than having a real conversation.

The lecturer talked at the students for an hour.

Talk back

Meaning: to reply in a rude or defiant way.

The child was punished for talking back to the teacher.

He tends to talk back when he feels criticised.

Talk down

Meaning: to make something seem less important or serious.

The company tried to talk down the impact of the mistake.

Critics talked down the film, but audiences loved it.

Talk down to

Meaning: to speak to someone as if they are less intelligent or important.

She hates being talked down to at work.

The manager’s habit of talking down to staff caused resentment.

Talk into

Meaning: to persuade someone to do something.

They talked me into applying for the job.

She talked him into coming along, even though he was tired.

Talk out

Meaning: to solve a problem by discussing it calmly.

They decided to talk out their disagreement.

Let’s talk it out before making any decisions.

Talk out of

Meaning: to persuade someone not to do something.

I tried to talk her out of quitting her job.

He talked me out of buying something I didn’t need.

Talk over

Meaning: to discuss something carefully before deciding.

Let’s talk it over and decide tomorrow.

They talked over the proposal during the meeting.

Talk through

Meaning: to explain or discuss something step by step.

She talked me through the application process.

The trainer talked through the safety rules.

Talk up

Meaning: to describe something in a very positive way.

He talked up his experience in the interview.

The coach talked up the team’s chances of winning.

Final tip for learners

In exams and real conversations, phrasal verbs with talk help you sound natural, fluent, and confident. Try mixing them into answers about relationships, work, conflicts, and decision-making—classic Cambridge topics.

And remember: it’s better to talk things over calmly than to talk at people. Your English—and your relationships—will thank you.

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