Imagine the situation. You've just come back from a fabulous holiday and you're chatting about it with an English-speaking friend or colleague. This is what you say (look especially at the phrases in italics.) "We had a long flight. It took us ages to complete the security process. Then we left the plane in Hong Kong and stayed in the airport and then took another plane."
The phrases in italics sound unnatural and too long. Instead, you can use phrasal verbs to sound more natural and "English".
When you use phrasal verbs, you sound much more natural.
This is because we use them all the time when we speak.
I've got 15 of the most common phrasal verbs to talk about your holiday - including holiday travel, holiday activities and holiday health. (Because, yes, you can get ill on holiday, as I know too well!)
When you talk about your holiday, sound more natural by using phrasal verbs. They make you sound less formal and more like a native speaker. Here are 15 very common phrasal verbs to talk about travel. Make sure you can understand and use them in your conversations.
Holiday Travel
check in (to a hotel / at the airport) = register at the hotel / airport, etc (Also a noun = “check-in”)
“What time can we check in?”
“What time can we check in?”
go through (security / customs, etc) = pass through a check at the airport
“You’ll need to take your PC out of your bag when you go through security.”
“You’ll need to take your PC out of your bag when you go through security.”
take off = when your plane starts the journey
“What time do we take off?”
“What time do we take off?”
stop over = break your journey in a particular place (Also a noun = “stop-over”)
“We stop over in Singapore on our way to Australia.”
“We stop over in Singapore on our way to Australia.”
pick up (a hire car) = get the keys to a hire car
“We picked up a hire car at the airport so we could be more independent.”
“We picked up a hire car at the airport so we could be more independent.”
Holiday Activities
get away = have a holiday
“I really need to get away this year.”
“I really need to get away this year.”
check out = go and look at
“While we were in France, we checked out some of the food markets.”
“While we were in France, we checked out some of the food markets.”
cool off = make yourself cooler
“There was a lovely pool in the hotel where we could go and cool off.”
“There was a lovely pool in the hotel where we could go and cool off.”
kick back = relax
“All I did on holiday was kick back and take it easy.”
“All I did on holiday was kick back and take it easy.”
take in = make time for an activity
“While we were there, we took in the sights. It’s such an interesting city.”
“While we were there, we took in the sights. It’s such an interesting city.”
Holiday Health
burn up = have a very high temperature
“I asked to see a doctor because I was burning up.”
“I asked to see a doctor because I was burning up.”
come down with / go down with (an illness) = get an illness
“He came down with food poisoning on holiday, so we stayed in the hotel most of the time!”
“He came down with food poisoning on holiday, so we stayed in the hotel most of the time!”
come out in (spots / a rash) = develop spots or a rash on your skin
“I bought a local sun cream, but I came out in a horrible rash.”
“I bought a local sun cream, but I came out in a horrible rash.”
keep (something) down = be able to keep something in your stomach
“I got terrible food poisoning and I couldn’t keep anything down.”
“I got terrible food poisoning and I couldn’t keep anything down.”
pick up (a bug / virus) = get a bug / virus
“I think I picked up a bug when I was on holiday.”
“I think I picked up a bug when I was on holiday.”