1 A2 neutral
To join with one other person to form a working partnership or team of two.
"OK everyone, pair up with the person next to you and discuss the article for five minutes."
inseparable
pair up
A2 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To form a group of two with another person for a shared purpose.
In plain English
Work together with one other person, or join into groups of two.
What does "pair up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To combine two things or people that complement each other well.
"The museum paired up the two collections for a special joint exhibition."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To pair (form a pair) and come up together — transparent.
Actually means
Work together with one other person, or join into groups of two.
Usage tip
Very common in classroom and workshop settings. Also used in sports and social situations. Can be used as a command ('pair up') or a description ('they paired up').
Words that pair with "pair up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
students workers partners friends task exercise
How to conjugate "pair up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pair up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pairs up
he/she/it
Past simple
paired up
yesterday
Past participle
paired up
have + pp
-ing form
pairing up
continuous
Hear "pair up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "pair up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "pair up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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