pick us up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pick us up" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when requesting someone to come and collect you or a group of people, typically in a vehicle. Example: "Can you pick us up from the airport when we arrive?"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

A few drivers did pick us up, and the Metro was excellent, inexpensive and easy to use.

The New York Times - Travel

"He tried to pick us up".

The New York Times - Sports

Did Paul, my uncle, come to pick us up?

The New Yorker

He would pick us up at our dock at noon.

The New York Times - Travel

That could pick us up a little bit".

The New York Times - Sports

Another wrote, "We only stayed because our car was not ready to pick us up".

The New York Times - Arts

After that her dad came to pick us up for dinner.

The New York Times

I said: When you pick us up for Season 2, we'll tell you.

The New York Times - Arts

"It's why they pick us up," said Tim McCollum, 33, a founder of the company.

The New York Times - Food

"It's down to him to come in and pick us up," Terry said.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Thanks for this afternoon pick-us-up, James!

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "pick us up", ensure the context clearly indicates the location from which you want to be collected. For example, "Can you pick us up at the train station?" is clearer than "Can you pick us up?".

Common error

Avoid using "pick us up" when you mean to say "support us" or "encourage us". While "pick up" can mean to improve or uplift, it's different from the literal sense of providing transportation. For emotional support, use phrases like "support us" or "encourage us" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "pick us up" functions as a transitive verb requiring an object pronoun ("us"). It describes the action of someone retrieving a group of people from a specific location, typically by vehicle. As Ludwig AI says, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrasal verb "pick us up" is a common and grammatically correct way to request or arrange transportation for a group of people. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is suitable for a wide range of contexts, though it is most frequently found in news and media sources. Alternative phrases such as ""collect us"" or "give us a ride" can be used for variety, but "pick us up" remains a clear and widely understood option. When using this phrase, ensure the location is clear to avoid confusion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

collect us

Replaces the phrasal verb with a single verb, focusing on the action of gathering someone.

give us a ride

Emphasizes the transportation aspect of the action.

come get us

Informal way to ask someone to retrieve you.

fetch us

A more formal or old-fashioned way to say "pick us up".

transport us

Highlights the action of conveying someone from one place to another.

escort us

Implies a more formal or protective type of transportation.

take us

A more general way of expressing providing transportation.

drive us

Focuses on the driving aspect of picking someone up.

lift us

A British colloquialism with same meaning but slightly less common.

shuttle us

Suggests a regular or scheduled transportation service.

FAQs

What does "pick us up" mean?

The phrase "pick us up" means to collect someone, typically in a vehicle, from a specific location.

How can I use "pick us up" in a sentence?

You can use "pick us up" in a sentence like: "Can you pick us up after the movie?" or "Our parents will pick us up from school."

What is a more formal way to say "pick us up"?

A more formal alternative to "pick us up" is to say "collect us". For example, "Could you "collect us" from the airport?".

Is it correct to say "pick up us" instead of "pick us up"?

No, it's not correct. "Pick us up" is the correct phrasal verb construction. The pronoun 'us' must go between the verb 'pick' and the preposition 'up'. Using "pick up us" is grammatically incorrect.