pop to the shops — go out briefly
phrasal verbB1IELTS 4+informalcommon
To go out for a short time to buy something at the shops, often nearby.
Pattern: pop to the shops / pop to [place] (to [do something])
In use
- I'm just going to pop to the shops for some milk.leaving the house
- A: We're out of bread.
B: I'll pop to the shops, back in five.at home
Common mistake
✗ I pop to the shops yesterday.
✓ I popped to the shops yesterday.
'Pop' is a normal verb, so use 'popped' for the past, not 'pop'.
Don't confuse it
'Pop to the shops' is a quick errand; 'do the shopping' is the bigger weekly trip.