What Does “Cheer yourself up” Mean?
“Cheer yourself up” means to make yourself feel happier or less sad. It involves doing something positive to improve your mood.
Introduction
The phrase cheer yourself up is a common way to talk about boosting your mood when you feel down. It often involves actions or thoughts that help improve your emotional state. Understanding the cheer yourself up meaning is useful for everyday conversations and self-care. People use this phrase when they want to encourage themselves or others to feel better after a difficult or sad moment. Whether it’s watching a favorite movie, spending time with friends, or simply smiling, cheering yourself up is about finding simple ways to lift your spirits.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: cheer yourself up
- Type: reflexive, intransitive
- Level: A2 (Elementary to Pre-intermediate)
- Short meaning: to make yourself feel happier
Structure (Grammar Rules)
The phrasal verb “cheer up” is separable when used with a direct object, but when using the reflexive pronoun “yourself,” it stays together as “cheer yourself up.”
- Pattern: cheer + yourself + up
- Example: You can cheer yourself up by listening to music.
- Note: Do not separate “yourself” and “up” in this phrase.
How to Use “Cheer yourself up”?
Use “cheer yourself up” when talking about actions you take to improve your mood. It is often used in informal speech and writing. You can use it to give advice or describe what someone is doing to feel better.
Examples of use:
- After a bad day, I try to cheer myself up by going for a walk.
- If you’re feeling sad, find something fun to cheer yourself up.
Examples
- She watched a funny movie to cheer herself up after the exam.
- When I feel lonely, I call a friend to cheer myself up.
- He bought some ice cream to cheer himself up after losing the game.
- Try to cheer yourself up by doing things you enjoy.
- It’s important to know how to cheer yourself up when life gets tough.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: She cheered up herself after work.
Correct: She cheered herself up after work. - Incorrect: I want to cheer up myself.
Correct: I want to cheer myself up. - Incorrect: Cheer yourself.
Correct: Cheer yourself up.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrases include “brighten up,” “lift your spirits,” and “perk up.” However, “cheer yourself up” specifically means making yourself happier after feeling sad or down.
- Brighten up: Can mean to make a place or mood more cheerful, not always reflexive.
- Lift your spirits: More formal, means to improve your mood.
- Perk up: Usually means to become more lively or energetic.
Common Collocations
- cheer yourself up with music
- cheer yourself up by watching a movie
- cheer yourself up after a bad day
- cheer yourself up with a treat
- cheer yourself up through exercise
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of cheer yourself up:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: I’m feeling really down today.
Ben: Why don’t you try to cheer yourself up? Maybe listen to your favorite songs.
Anna: That’s a good idea. Music always helps me feel better.
Ben: Exactly! Sometimes we just need to find little things to cheer ourselves up.
Practice
Fill in the blank:
When I’m sad, I like to ___________ myself up by reading a funny book.
- a) cheer
- b) cheer myself
- c) cheer myself up
- d) cheer up myself
Answer: c) cheer myself up
FAQs
- Q: Can I say “cheer up yourself”?
A: No, the correct form is “cheer yourself up.” - Q: Is “cheer yourself up” formal language?
A: It is informal and commonly used in everyday speech. - Q: Can I use “cheer yourself up” for others?
A: No, use “cheer someone up” for others. - Q: What can I do to cheer myself up?
A: Try activities you enjoy, like listening to music or talking to friends. - Q: Is “cheer yourself up” a separable phrasal verb?
A: Yes, but when using “yourself,” keep the phrase together.
