split up
2 meanings
end a romantic relationship with someone
What does "split up" mean in this sense?
Examples
- They split up after five years together — nobody saw it coming.
- Have you heard? Jake and Mia have split up.
- She split up with her boyfriend just before Christmas.
How to use it
Used when the subject is the couple or both partners together, with no specific person singled out.
They split up after three years together — it came as a huge surprise to everyone.
Used when focusing on one partner's decision or action; 'with' introduces the other person in the relationship.
He split up with his girlfriend just a few weeks before their holiday.
Common collocations that give context for why or when the relationship ended.
They split up over a disagreement about moving abroad.
The gerund form is useful when talking about the act of ending a relationship in an abstract or reflective way.
Splitting up was a difficult decision, but they both knew it was the right one.
Used when the breakup is discussed as a concept or plan rather than an event.
Nobody really understood their reasons for splitting up — they seemed so happy together.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
In this sense, 'split up' is intransitive and takes no direct object. To mention the other person, you must use 'with'. Putting a person directly after 'up' produces an ungrammatical sentence.
'Split up with' and 'break up with' mean the same thing and are largely interchangeable. However, 'break up with' tends to sound slightly more natural in American English, while 'split up with' is equally common in British English. Either is correct — just be aware of the regional preference.
It sounds unnatural to say someone 'is splitting up' with another person, since the end of a relationship is typically discussed as a completed or decided event. Stick to the simple past, present perfect, or 'going to' future in most contexts.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral and natural in both British and American English, though 'break up' may sound slightly more common in American English. Both are informal; in formal writing, prefer 'separate' or 'end the relationship'.
divide people or things into smaller groups or parts
Sense 2: What does "split sb/sth up" mean?
Examples
- Let's split up into groups of three and tackle different parts of the project.
- The teacher split the class up by ability and gave each group a different task.
- We were split up into pairs and asked to practise the dialogue together.
How to use it
Used when a group divides itself, often as an instruction or plan — very common in classroom and activity contexts.
Let's split up into pairs and each take a different section of the report.
Used when someone deliberately divides a group, task, or amount into smaller parts.
The manager split the workload up so that each team had a fair share.
When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'split' and 'up' — it cannot come after 'up'.
The tasks looked overwhelming, so we split them up between the four of us.
The passive is natural when describing how people or things are divided by an external system or authority.
The participants were split up into groups of five for the workshop activities.
Adverbs like 'evenly', 'fairly', and 'randomly' are commonly added to describe how the division is made.
We split the costs up evenly so that everyone paid the same amount.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'split' and 'up'. Putting the pronoun after 'up' is ungrammatical.
'Split up' can also mean to end a romantic relationship, so an intransitive sentence with a human plural subject (e.g. 'They split up') will usually sound like the relationship sense. When you mean 'divide into groups', make the context clear — for example, by adding 'into teams' or including other details.
When you say what the smaller groups are, 'into' is needed before the group noun. Leaving it out sounds unnatural.
Usage
This phrasal verb has two meanings: 'divide into groups' and 'end a romantic relationship' — context makes it clear which is meant. The 'divide' meaning is common in educational and workplace settings and is often followed by 'into' (e.g. 'split up into teams').
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'split up' be used in the passive, like 'They were split up'?
No — in this sense, 'split up' is intransitive, which means it has no object and cannot be made passive. You can only say 'They split up' or 'She split up with him', never 'They were split up' to mean they ended their relationship.
Does 'split up' always mean ending a romantic relationship?
Not always — 'split up' has another common meaning: to divide into groups or go separate ways (for example, 'Let's split up and look for him'). Context makes the difference clear, though. The romantic sense always involves a couple and an emotional ending, not a physical separation or dividing of tasks.
Is 'split up' more British or American English?
It's used naturally in both varieties of English. The main difference is that 'break up' may feel slightly more common in American English, while 'split up' is particularly natural in British English. You won't sound strange using 'split up' anywhere in the English-speaking world.
Can I use 'split up' to talk about a married couple divorcing?
Yes, you can — 'split up' works for any stage of a romantic relationship, including marriage. However, if you want to emphasise the formal or legal side of a separation, 'separate' or 'divorce' might sound more appropriate. 'Split up' keeps a more conversational, everyday tone.
Is 'the decision to split up' a natural way to use this phrase?
Yes, very natural. The infinitive form works well after nouns like 'decision', 'choice', or 'reasons': for example, 'Their decision to split up shocked all their friends.' The gerund 'splitting up' is also common in reflective contexts, such as 'Splitting up was harder than either of them expected.'
Does 'split up' always have to be followed by 'into'?
Not always. When the context is clear, you can use it without 'into' — for example, 'Let's split up and meet back here in an hour.' However, when you want to name the groups or parts, 'into' is needed: 'Let's split up into pairs.'
Can 'split up' be used for things, not just people?
Yes, absolutely. You can split up tasks, costs, work, responsibilities, a project, or even a chapter. For example, 'We split the bill up equally' or 'Let's split the project up into three phases.' It works for both people and things.
Is 'We are splitting up into teams' correct English?
It is grammatically possible, but it can sound slightly unnatural when describing dividing into groups. It is more common to use the present simple imperative ('Let's split up into teams') or the past simple ('We split up into teams'). The present continuous works better for ongoing physical movement than for the act of forming groups.
What is the difference between 'split up' and 'divide up' in this meaning?
'Divide up' means essentially the same thing but sounds slightly more formal. In most everyday situations — especially in spoken English or classroom contexts — 'split up' is the more natural and common choice. You can usually use either one without changing the meaning.
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