take sth up
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to start a new hobby, sport, or activity.
phrasal verb. to begin a new pursuit or interest; can also refer to occupying a specific amount of space or time.
I decided to take up yoga to help me relax.
After he retired, he took up gardening and spent every morning in his backyard.
The new grand piano takes up far too much space in the living room, but she refuses to move it.
Usage
usually followed by a noun representing a hobby or a physical space.
Teaching tip
focus on the 'starting a hobby' sense first as it is most common at B1; later introduce the 'occupying space' sense to show how the verb scales.
Pitfall
I took up to play tennis.I took up tennis.the verb is followed by a noun or a gerund, not an infinitive with 'to'.
Last updated April 24, 2026