student asking question

Is "sit up" opposite of "sit down?"

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

No, actually, they're kind of similar. Someone "sits down" when they have been standing, and someone "sits up" if they were lying down. "Sit up" can also be used when telling someone to sit with better posture. I'd say the opposite of "sit down" is "stand up." Ex: I was lying down and then sat up quickly when I heard our guests arriving. Ex: You can sit down here. You've been standing for a while.

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