Cool MateArrive vs Something turns up
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Arrive
Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb
Something turns up
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Arrive
| Arrive | Something turns up | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈraɪv/","/əˈraɪvz/","/əˈraɪvd/","/əˈraɪvɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈraɪv/","/əˈraɪvz/","/əˈraɪvd/","/əˈraɪvɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈsʌmθɪŋ tɜːnz ʌp//🇺🇸 //ˈsʌmθɪŋ tɜrn ʌp// |
| Meaning | To reach a place that you were going to. | Something appears or is discovered unexpectedly. |
| Example | We will arrive at the airport by noon. | I didn't expect to see you here; I thought you'd never turn up. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | early, late, shortly, be due to, fail to, at, in, the first to arrive, the last to arrive, early, late, shortly, be due to, fail to, at, in, the first to arrive, the last to arrive | unexpectedly turn up, turn up the volume, turn up missing, turn up late, not turn up |
| Antonyms | depart, leave | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'arrive at' with 'arrive in'., Using 'arrived to' instead of 'arrived at/in'. | Confusing with 'show up' which is slightly different in meaning., Using in contexts where a more formal phrase is appropriate., Misplacing the phrase, for example, saying 'turn up something' instead of 'something turns up'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'arrive at' for specific locations (e.g., 'arrive at the airport') and 'arrive in' for larger areas (e.g., 'arrive in Paris'). Avoid using in very formal contexts; consider synonyms like 'reach' instead. | Use in casual conversations to describe unexpected appearances. Not suitable for formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Arrive vs Something turns up
What's the difference between Arrive and Something turns up?
Arrive: To reach a place that you were going to. Something turns up: Something appears or is discovered unexpectedly.
Which is more common: Arrive and Something turns up?
Arrive is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Arrive: We will arrive at the airport by noon. Something turns up: I didn't expect to see you here; I thought you'd never turn up.
Can I use Arrive and Something turns up interchangeably?
Not always. Arrive and Something turns up are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.