speak up — talk louder
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to talk in a louder voice so people can hear you clearly.
Say it like a native
Textbook Could you please increase your volume? I cannot hear you.
Native Could you speak up? I can't hear you.
'Speak up' is the everyday request to talk louder; 'increase your volume' is formal.
Pattern: speak up
In use
- Could you please speak up? I can't hear you at the back.daily life
- During my presentation, my teacher asked me to speak up so everyone could understand me.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Can you speak up your voice?
✓ Can you speak up?
'Speak up' already means talk louder — don't add 'your voice'.
Common collocations
speak up + context— a bit, please, so we can hear, at the back
Don't confuse it
'Speak up' means to increase your volume, while 'speak out' means to share your opinion.
Related
- speak up (express an opinion openly) — Another meaning of 'speak up' is 'express an opinion openly'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.