- take off
Intransitive
Meaning: start to fly, depart
Example: Oh no, I’m going to be late. My plane takes off in thirty minutes!
take something off
Transitive, Separable
Meaning: remove something
Example: It is polite to take off your shoes when you enter someone’s house.
Did you know that in China and Japan it is normal for the host to provide slippers for their guests to put on after they take off their shoes? Additionally, when using a restroom, house slippers are taken off and a different pair, just for the restroom should be used.
In Ethiopia, the Orthodox people don’t wear their shoes when they enter a church to show respect to God. In a similar way, Muslim people also take off their shoes when they enter a Mosque.
In the United States, some people prefer to have guests take their shoes off when entering the house. It is always a good idea to ask your host, just in case.