1.
to climb (stairs, a floor, a hill)
“Go up to your room.”
“We went up the hill.”
“She went up to the third floor.”
Synonyms: to climb, to ascend
Phrasal verb
What does go up mean?
Meaning: to move to a higher place; to increase
B1
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Quick answer
Go up = to move to a higher place (stairs, a floor) or to increase (prices, temperature, a level). Prices have gone up = prices are higher now. Go up to your room = climb the stairs to your room. It takes no direct object.
Meanings of the phrasal verb
2.
to increase (a price, temperature, level)
common“The price of bread has gone up.”
“Temperatures are going up.”
Synonyms: to increase, to rise
3.
to walk towards someone (go up to)
common“He went up to her and said hello.”
Synonyms: to approach, to walk up to
Word order
Intransitive (no object)
This phrasal verb does not take an object.
Forms
- Present Simple:
- go up
- Past Simple:
- went up
- Past participle:
- gone up
- -ing form:
- going up
Common mistakes to avoid
Go up or come up?
Go up = to move up (in general, or away from the speaker). Come up = to move up towards the speaker. Come up to my room! (said from the room) / Go up to bed! (said from downstairs).
Go up or raise?
Go up has no object: the subject goes up by itself. Raise needs an object: someone makes something higher. Prices went up ✓ / The shop raised its prices ✓. Never The shop went up its prices ❌.
Practice quiz
Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank
Related pages: go up
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Go up: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
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English contestGo up: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
What does go up mean?+
Go up = (1) to climb (stairs, a hill); (2) to increase (prices, temperature); (3) to walk towards someone (go up to someone). The first meaning is about moving, the second one is about numbers.
What is the difference between go up and come up?+
Go up = to move up, away from the speaker. Come up = to move up, towards the speaker. Come up to my room! (the speaker is in the room) / Go up to bed! (the speaker is downstairs).
Is go up separable?+
No, it takes no direct object. It is often followed by a place (the stairs, the hill) or by nothing.
What is the past simple of go up?+
Went up. The temperature went up yesterday. Go is irregular: go → went → gone.
How do you say that prices are rising very fast?+
Prices are going up fast or Prices are skyrocketing. Skyrocket is stronger. Go up is the basic verb for any increase.
Related phrasal verbs
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/phrasal-verbs/go-up
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.