Some people asked me to make a list of Phrasal Verbs (move up, tear down) in French. We do not use these little things (up/down) to change the meaning of a verb. But we have a similar concept with "les verbes pronominaux" (Pronominal Verbs), you can check it out in this article here.
This list is non exhaustive. But there is already more than 100 entries. If you want me to add more, just ask me in the comment section.
Phrasal Verbs with UP ( e.g: Throw-up)
| add up | additionner |
| back up | soutenir / sauvegarder |
| beat up | tabasser |
| blow up | agrandir (image, photo), exploser |
| break up | rompre / se terminer |
| brighten up | s’éclaircir / se dégager |
| bring up | élever / soulever |
| catch up | rattraper |
| cheer up | remonter le moral à / retrouver le moral |
| clean up | nettoyer |
| clear up | ranger / s’éclaircir |
| climb up | monter |
| come up | monter / soulever / être soulevé |
| come up to | arriver à / s’approcher de |
| come up with | proposer / suggérer |
| do up | fermer / attacher / boutonner / retaper |
| dress up | s'habiller, se mettre sur son trente et un |
| eat up | finir son assiette |
| end up | finir / se retrouver |
| face up to | accepter / faire face à |
| fill up | remplir |
| get up | se lever |
| give up | abandonner, renoncer à |
| go up | monter / augmenter |
| grow up | grandir, devenir adulte |
| hang up | accrocher / suspendre / raccrocher |
| heat up | faire réchauffer / (faire) chauffer |
| hold up | lever / retarder / attaquer |
| hurry up | se presser, aller plus vite, se dépêcher |
| keep up | suivre / continuer |
| lift up | soulever |
| line up | faire la queue |
| look after | s’occuper de |
| look up | lever les yeux / chercher |
| make up | inventer / se réconcilier / se maquiller           |
| make up for | compenser / rattraper |
| mess up | mettre en désordre / gâcher / bâcle |
| mix up | confondre / embrouiller / mélanger |
| muddle up | mélanger / embrouiller |
| own up | avouer |
| pick up | ramasser / chercher / apprendre / draguer |
| pile up | s’entasser / s’empiler / s’accumuler |
| pull up | remonter / s’arrêter |
| pump up | gonfler |
| put up | ériger / monter (les prix)/ mettre / augmenter / héberger |
| put up with | supporter |
| read up on | parcourir / lire en entier |
| ring up | appeler / téléphoner à |
| roll up | rouler / retrousser |
| save up | mettre de l’argent de côté |
| set up | créer / installer / monter |
| show up | arriver |
| shut up | se taire |
| sit up | se redresser (assis) |
| speak up     | parler fort |
| speed up | aller plus vite |
| split up | se séparer |
| stand up | se lever |
| stand up for | défendre |
| stay up | ne pas se coucher |
| sum up | résumer |
| swell up | enfler / gonfler |
| take up | se mettre à / prendre |
| tear up | déchirer |
| throw up | jeter en l'air; vomir |
| tidy up | ranger, remettre de l'ordre |
| tie up | ficeler / attacher |
| turn up | mettre plus fort (sound)/ venir / arriver |
| wake up | réveiller / se réveiller |
| warm up | réchauffer / faire réchauffer / se réchauffer / s’échauffer |
| wash up | faire la vaisselle (UK) / se laver (US) |
| well up | avoir les larmes aux yeux |
| wind up | se retrouver / se terminer / remonter |
| wipe up | essuyer |
| wrap up | emballer / envelopper / récapituler / se couvrir |
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Phrasal Verbs with Down (e.g: get down)
| bend down (to lean) | se pencher |
| bend down | se baisser |
| blow down | abattre (vent) |
| break down | tomber en panne / échouer |
| calm down | se calmer, apaiser |
| chop down | abattre |
| climb down | descendre |
| come down (price) | baisser (prix, profits) |
| come down | descendre / baisser |
| cool down | refroidir / refraîchir /baisser (température) |
| cut down | réduire (sa consommation) |
| drink down | boire d'un trait |
| fall down | tomber |
| get down | descendre |
| get down to | se mettre à une activité |
| go down | descendre / baisser |
| hand down | transmettre (propriété, traditions) |
| kneel down | s'agenouiller |
| knock down | renverser |
| lay / set / put down | poser |
| let down | laisser tomber |
| lie down | s’allonger / se coucher |
| look down | baisser les yeux |
| look down on | regarder de haut |
| look down on sb | toiser, regarder de haut |
| note down | noter |
| pour down | pleuvoir à verse |
| pull down | démolir / baisser |
| put down | poser |
| settle down | s'installer, s'adapter, se calmer |
| sit down | s'asseoir |
| slow down       | ralentir |
| take down | démonter / enlever / noter |
| tear down | démolir |
| track down | retrouver |
| turn down (offer) | refuser (une offre) |
| weigh down | alourdir |
| wolf / bolt down | dévorer, engloutir |
| write down | inscrire, coucher par écrit |
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J’aime la liste et l’introduction au concept.
Une petite parenthèse, vous avez oublié la traduction pour le verbe “to face up to.” Par hasard, vous avez mis l’expression anglaise dans les deux colonnes.
Merci Jarod, j’ai corrigé. 🙂
Thank You Frederic.
Your post is coming in handy as I’m a first year French student at the University of Botswana.I also love your site Talkinfrench.com
Merci beaucoup!
De rien Pearl 🙂
[…] is the second part about Phrasal Verbs. The first one can be find here .  Again we do not use these little things (over/in) to change the meaning of a verb. But we […]
You could add WIPE OUT = effacer/anéantir/détruire
Thank you, I will add it in this article
[…] Talk in French How to translate English Phrasal Verbs Up/ Down (e.g tidy up/ lay down) in French? »…. Reading time: 2 minutesDifficulty: Intermediate Level Some people asked me to make a list of Phrasal Verbs (move up, tear down) in French. […]
Another sense of make up would be se maquiller
I don’t understand how I can forget this one. I will add it right away!
can you translate to go upstairs/downstairs please.
Actually go upstairs = monter (similar to go up here) same for go downstairs (descendre). Stairs = les escaliers (set of steps) / les marches (marche = single step).
Je monte (les escaliers) / Je descends (les escaliers). Escalier is optional . I hope it helps 🙂