Cool MateWake vs Wake her up
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Wake
Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb
Wake her up
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Wake
| Wake | Wake her up | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/weɪk/","/weɪks/","/wəʊk/","/ˈwəʊkən/","/ˈweɪkɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/weɪk/","/weɪks/","/wəʊk/","/ˈwəʊkən/","/ˈweɪkɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //weɪk hɜːr ʌp//🇺🇸 //weɪk hɜːr ʌp// |
| Meaning | To stop sleeping and become awake. | To make someone stop sleeping. |
| Example | I wake up early every morning. | I need to wake her up before we leave for the trip. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | gently, be careful not to, not want to, try not to | wake someone up, wake her up gently, wake him up early, wake up to an alarm, wake someone up for breakfast |
| Antonyms | sleep, doze, slumber | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'waked' instead of 'woke' as the past tense., Saying 'wake up' when just 'wake' is needed for some phrases., Confusing 'wake' with 'awaken' in casual speech. | Confusing it with 'wake up' without an object., Using it with wrong pronouns, e.g., 'wake she up'., Incorrectly saying 'woke her up' when talking about a past event. |
| Usage notes | Use 'wake' when someone stops sleeping. It's neutral, appropriate for most situations. Don't confuse it with 'woke', which has slang uses related to social awareness. | Use 'wake her up' when you mean to help someone get out of sleep. It's neutral and informal, but can be used in most contexts where someone is sleeping. |
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Frequently asked questions: Wake vs Wake her up
What's the difference between Wake and Wake her up?
Wake: To stop sleeping and become awake. Wake her up: To make someone stop sleeping.
Which is more common: Wake and Wake her up?
Wake is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Wake: I wake up early every morning. Wake her up: I need to wake her up before we leave for the trip.
Can I use Wake and Wake her up interchangeably?
Not always. Wake and Wake her up are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.