What Does โTake up with sbโ Mean?
โTake up with sbโ means to begin a relationship or friendship with someone, often unexpectedly or with someone new. It can sometimes suggest a close or even suspicious association.
Introduction
The phrasal verb โtake up with sbโ is commonly used in English to describe starting a relationship or friendship with another person. This phrase often implies that the connection is new and sometimes hints at surprise or concern from others. The phrase is useful in everyday conversations and storytelling to express how someone joins or associates with a particular person. Understanding the โtake up with sb meaningโ helps learners describe social interactions clearly and naturally.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: take up with somebody
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to start a friendship or relationship with someone
Structure (Grammar Rules)
โTake up with sbโ is an inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot place the object between โtakeโ and โupโ. The correct pattern is:
- Subject + take up with + somebody
Examples:
- She took up with a new group of friends last month.
- He took up with some interesting people at the conference.
How to Use Take up with sb?
Use โtake up with sbโ when you want to talk about someone starting to spend time with or becoming friends with another person. It often implies a new or unexpected connection. This phrase is common in informal speech and writing.
It can also sometimes suggest that the relationship might be unusual or disapproved of by others, though this depends on context.
Examples
Here are some examples to show how โtake up with sbโ is used in sentences:
- After moving to the city, she took up with a group of artists.
- He took up with some old classmates from university.
- My brother took up with a new crowd that likes to travel a lot.
- She took up with the wrong people and got into trouble.
- They took up with a local band and started attending their concerts regularly.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse the word order or use the wrong preposition. Here are some common mistakes and the correct forms:
- Incorrect: She took with up some new friends.
- Correct: She took up with some new friends.
- Incorrect: He took up some friends with.
- Correct: He took up with some friends.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include โhang out with,โ โget together with,โ and โmake friends with.โ However, โtake up with sbโ often implies a new or unexpected association, sometimes with a negative or suspicious tone.
- Hang out with: spend time casually with friends (neutral tone).
- Get together with: meet or gather socially (neutral tone).
- Make friends with: form a friendship (positive tone).
- Take up with: start associating with someone, possibly unexpectedly or controversially.
Common Collocations
When using โtake up with sb,โ the object is usually a person or a group of people. Here are common collocations:
- Take up with friends: start being friends with someone.
- Take up with crowd: join a group, often with a specific reputation.
- Take up with people: begin associating with certain individuals.
- Take up with strangers: start a relationship with unknown persons.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of take up with sb:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using โtake up with sbโ:
Anna: Have you noticed that Tom has been acting differently lately?
Ben: Yeah, he took up with some new friends from work.
Anna: Really? I wonder what kind of people they are.
Ben: Iโm not sure, but he seems happier now.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence that uses โtake up with sbโ properly:
- A) She took up some new friends with last week.
- B) He took up with new colleagues recently.
- C) They took with up a new group.
Answer: B) He took up with new colleagues recently.
FAQ
- Q: Can โtake up with sbโ mean to start dating someone?
A: Yes, it can mean starting a romantic relationship but usually focuses on friendship or association. - Q: Is โtake up with sbโ formal or informal?
A: It is mostly informal and used in everyday conversations. - Q: Can I separate โtakeโ and โupโ in this phrasal verb?
A: No, โtake up with sbโ is inseparable. The object must come after the whole phrase. - Q: Does โtake up with sbโ have a negative meaning?
A: Sometimes, it can imply a suspicious or unwanted connection, depending on context. - Q: What level of English learner is โtake up with sbโ suitable for?
A: It is suitable for intermediate learners (B2 level).
