AAAmerican Accent US

take on

Separable

The object can go before or after the particle — but a pronoun MUST go in the middle: “clean it up”, never “clean up it”.

How to say it

Stress the particle, not the verb: take ON. Saying “TAKE on” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.

Link across the gap. The final /k/ of “take” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “take on” is said “ta-kon”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.

3 meanings

  1. 1

    To accept a new responsibility or task.

    • “She took on far too much this quarter.”
    • “He agreed to help, taking on the extra work himself.”

    Similar: assume, undertake

  2. 2

    To hire someone.

    • “The firm is taking on three new engineers.”

    Similar: hire, employ

  3. 3

    To compete against someone stronger.

    • “A small studio taking on the major labels.”

    Similar: challenge

The particle logic

on

Something starts running, keeps running, or sits on a surface.

Listen + practice

Hear “take on” spoken naturally

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More TAKE phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

take off

(Of an aircraft) to leave the ground.

take up

To start a new hobby or activity.

take over

To assume control of something.

take in

To provide shelter for a person or animal.

take after

To resemble an older relative in looks or character.

take out

To remove something from inside a place or container.

take back

To retract something you said.

take down

To write information as you hear it.

take apart

To separate something into its parts.

take away

To remove something entirely.

take to

To begin to like someone or something.

take on — meaning, examples & how to say it