Say it like this
- Can you set up a quick call for tomorrow?
- I spent the morning setting up my local environment.
- We need to set up the staging server before QA can test.
- Let me set up a recurring meeting for the team.
- The new hire is still setting up their dev tools.
Use it at work
Tools
- Can you help me set up my dev environment?
- I'll set up the repo today.
Meetings
- Let me set up a call for Thursday.
- Could you set up a meeting with the client?
Explaining
- The setup takes about an hour.
- Our CI setup is in the README.
Don't say this
As a verb, it is two words: 'set up'. 'Setup' (one word) is a noun or adjective.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| set up | Verb: prepare or arrange | Anyone | "Set up the server." |
| setup | Noun: the arrangement | Anyone | "The setup is easy." |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. A teammate asks you to prepare a test server. What do you say?
2. I setted up the staging environment this morning.
3. Can you help me _____ my local development environment?
4. I made the new database ready for the team to use.
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 5
"Can you set up a quick call for tomorrow?"
We don't save your recording. The word check uses your browser's speech recognition.
More about set up
Real examples(7)
- Standup
"Yesterday I set up the new CI pipeline. Today I'll test it."
- Slack message
"Hey, can you help me set up Docker on my machine?"
- GitHub PR
"This PR sets up the initial project structure and dependencies."
- Jira ticket
"Set up monitoring alerts for the production database."
- Retrospective
"We should have set up the test environment earlier in the sprint."
- Sprint planning
"First task: set up the new microservice repository."
- Pair programming
"Let me set up my screen share so you can see my code."
More mistakes(2)
- ✕Can you set up me a meeting?✓Can you set up a meeting for me?
The object goes directly after 'set up', not between the words.
- ✕I setted up the environment.✓I set up the environment.
'Set' is irregular. The past tense is also 'set', not 'setted'.
Other forms(5)
- set up verb (base)
"I need to set up the database."
- set up verb (past)
"She set up the server yesterday."
- setting up verb (present participle)
"I'm setting up my dev environment now."
- setup noun
"The setup took two hours."
- setup adjective
"Read the setup instructions first."
Often used with(6)
- set up a meeting · Schedule and organize a meeting
- set up an environment · Configure a development or testing environment
- set up a server · Install and configure a server for use
- set up a pipeline · Create a CI/CD pipeline
- set up monitoring · Configure alerts and tracking systems
- set up a repo · Initialize a new code repository
Similar words(5)
- configure · More technical; focuses on settings and options
- install · Specifically about putting software on a system
- initialize · Start something for the first time; more formal
- prepare · General word; less specific than 'set up'
- provision · DevOps term for creating cloud resources
Opposites(5)
- tear down
- remove
- disable
- shut down
- decommission
Questions(6)
- What is the difference between 'set up' and 'setup'?
- 'Set up' (two words) is a verb: 'I will set up the server.' 'Setup' (one word) is a noun or adjective: 'The setup process was easy.' Many native speakers confuse them, but using them correctly sounds more professional.
- Can I say 'set up a meeting' or should I say 'schedule a meeting'?
- Both work. 'Set up a meeting' is very common and natural. 'Schedule a meeting' focuses more on picking the time. In tech workplaces, 'set up' often implies you will also prepare the agenda or invite people.
- What is the past tense of 'set up'?
- The past tense is also 'set up'. The verb 'set' is irregular, so it does not change: 'I set up the server yesterday.' Never say 'setted up'.
- Is 'set up' too casual for documentation?
- No, 'set up' is appropriate in all contexts—from Slack to formal documentation. You can also use 'configure' if you want to sound more technical.
- How do I use 'set up' with a person?
- Say 'set up [something] for [person]'. Example: 'Can you set up a demo for the client?' Do not say 'set up me a demo'—put the object directly after 'set up'.
- What is the difference between 'set up' and 'spin up'?
- 'Set up' is general—any kind of preparation. 'Spin up' is more specific to quickly starting cloud instances or containers. Both are common in DevOps.
