Phone Words in English: Scroll, Swipe, Tap and Zoom (Cheat Sheet)

We use our phones all day. But many English learners do not know the real words for phone actions. They translate from their first language and say "touch two times" or "make the photo bigger". People understand you, but it does not sound natural.

In this short lesson you learn 6 phone words that native speakers use every day. Save this page and practise with your own phone.

What is the English word for moving the screen up and down?

Say scroll. You scroll down to see more posts. You scroll up to go back to the top.

• "I scroll through Instagram in the morning."
• "Scroll down to see the price."

What does "swipe left" and "swipe right" mean?

You swipe when you move your finger quickly to the side. You swipe left to see the next photo or the next story.

• "Swipe left to see more photos."
• "Swipe up to close the app."

How do you say "make the photo bigger" in English?

Say pinch to zoom or zoom in. You put two fingers on the screen and move them apart. To make it smaller, you zoom out.

What is "double-tap" on a phone?

You tap when you touch the screen once. You double-tap when you touch it two times quickly. On Instagram, you double-tap a photo to like it.

How do you say "put the charger in" in English?

Say plug in your phone or charge your phone. When the battery is full, you unplug it.

• "My battery is at 5%. I need to plug in my phone."
• "It is 100% now. You can unplug it."

Phone words cheat sheet: basic vs natural English

How to remember new English words fast

Do not learn single words. Learn short phrases you can say today: "swipe left", "plug in my phone". Say them out loud when you do the action. Your hands and your mouth learn together.

Want 30 days of real everyday phrases like these? From A1 to A2 (Speaking & Conversation Edition) gives you 6 new phrases and a speaking task every day.