Business English Phrasal Verbs for the Office

Let’s face it — phrasal verbs can be confusing. “Turn down,” “follow up,” “get back to” — they pop up in emails, meetings, and conversations all the time. If you’re learning English for work, understanding these little two-word phrases can help you sound more fluent and professional. So here’s a list of business English phrasal verbs that are super common — and super useful — around the office.

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1. Follow up (on something)

Meaning: To check in or continue communication after something happens.

Example:
“I’ll follow up with the client tomorrow.”
“Can you follow up on that invoice from last week?”

✅ This is one of the most common phrasal verbs for the office, especially in sales, admin, or customer service.

2. Take over (a task/project)

Meaning: To assume responsibility for something.

Example:
“Sarah is going on leave, so I’ll take over her reports.”
“Can someone take over the meeting while I step out?”

Tip: This is great for teamwork or delegating politely.

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3. Bring up (a topic)

Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic in conversation.

Example:
“I don’t want to bring it up again, but we need to talk about the deadline.”
“She brought up a good point during the meeting.”

If you want to sound natural in meetings, this is a must-have from your list of business English phrasal verbs.

4. Look into (something)

Meaning: To investigate or explore an issue or topic.

Example:
“We’ll look into the delay and get back to you.”
“Can you look into those numbers before tomorrow?”

Use this when you want to sound helpful and proactive.

5. Turn down (an offer/request)

Meaning: To politely reject something.

Example:
“He turned down the promotion.”
“I had to turn down the invitation due to scheduling.”

Useful in emails when saying no in a polite, professional way.

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6. Catch up (with someone or on something)

Meaning: To reconnect or update after time apart.

Example:
“Let’s catch up over coffee this week.”
“I need to catch up on emails after being out yesterday.”

This is one of the more casual but essential phrasal verbs for the office — great for maintaining relationships.

7. Put off (a task/meeting)

Meaning: To delay or postpone something.

Example:
“We had to put off the meeting until next week.”
“Don’t put it off too long — it’s urgent.”

❌ Careful — using this too much might make you sound like a procrastinator!

Business English Phrasal Verbs: Bring in (a person or idea)

Meaning: To involve someone new, or introduce something.

Example:
“We’re bringing in a consultant to help with this project.”
“She brought in some great ideas during the brainstorming session.”

Perfect when you want to sound collaborative and solution-focused.

Business English Phrasal Verbs: Set up (a meeting, system, etc.)

Meaning: To arrange or organise something.

Example:
“Can you set up a Zoom call for Thursday?”
“They’re setting up a new internal tool for reporting.”

This one’s everywhere in the workplace — emails, meetings, chats.

Business English Phrasal Verbs: Get back to (someone)

Meaning: To respond later.

Example:
“I’m not sure yet — I’ll get back to you by end of day.”
“Thanks for the update. I’ll get back to you with a decision.”

✅ Very professional, polite, and time-aware — a classic in business English phrasal verbs.

How to Practice These Business English Phrasal Verbs

If you want to actually remember and use these:

• Listen for them in real meetings or emails

• Write your own example sentences

• Use one or two a day in conversation or messages

• Try recording yourself using them in typical work scenarios

The more naturally you use these phrasal verbs for the office, the more fluent and confident you’ll sound — without needing to memorise long lists or textbook phrases.

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Final Thoughts: Business English Phrasal Verbs

Using the right business English phrasal verbs helps you blend in, sound natural, and feel more at ease in everyday office communication.

You don’t need to use all of them at once. Start small. Pick the ones that match your role and your style.

Before you know it, they’ll become part of your daily vocabulary — just like “send it over” or “follow up later.”