Topical guide
Travel phrasal verbs
Travel throws a lot of phrasal verbs at you fast: you check in, set off, get on the wrong train, and end up somewhere unexpected.
These are the ones that come up at airports, hotels, and on the road, grouped by situation.
21 phrasal verbs · 3 groups
Getting around
Trains, taxis, planes, and setting off.
get on
Board: “Get on the train at platform four.”
Board a bus, train or plane
get off
Leave a bus/train: “We get off at the next stop.”
Leave a bus, train or plane
get in
Enter a car/taxi, or arrive: “Let’s get in the taxi.”
Enter a car or building
get out
Leave a car: “Get out of the cab on the left.”
Leave a room, car or building
set off
Begin a journey: “We set off at dawn to beat the traffic.”
Begin a journey
take off
Of a plane: “The flight takes off at noon.”
Remove clothing or accessories
set out
Start out on a trip: “They set out for the coast early.”
Begin a journey
At the airport & hotel
Checking in, forms, and being looked after.
check in
Register on arrival: “We checked in at the hotel by three.”
Register at a hotel, airport or event
check out
Leave and pay: “Check-out is before eleven.”
Leave a hotel after paying
fill in
Complete a form: “Fill in the arrival card before you land.”
Write information into the blanks of a form
hand in
Submit something: “Hand in your passport at the desk.”
Submit something formally to a person or office
drop off
Leave someone/something: “The shuttle drops you off at the terminal.”
Take and leave someone or something at a location
pick up
Collect: “A driver will pick you up at arrivals.”
Lift something off a surface
look after
Take care of: “Can you look after the bags for a minute?”
Take care of someone or something
Plans & problems
When the trip goes to plan — and when it doesn’t.
look forward
Anticipate the trip: “We’re looking forward to the holiday.”
Feel pleased about something that will happen
sort out
Fix a problem: “We sorted out the booking mix-up.”
Resolve a problem successfully
run out
Have none left: “We nearly ran out of cash abroad.”
Use up the supply of something
hold up
Delay: “We were held up at security for an hour.”
Raise and keep raised
turn up
Arrive, often late or unexpectedly: “The bus finally turned up.”
Increase the setting on a machine or device
end up
Land somewhere unplanned: “We ended up in the wrong town.”
Arrive at an unintended outcome
get away
Take a break: “We got away for a long weekend.”
Escape from a place or situation
Sink In — iOS & Android
Phrasal verbs for your next trip
Sink In drills the phrasal verbs that come up when you travel — by particle pattern, with spaced repetition — so you’re ready at the airport, not fumbling for words.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
