(be/do something) in real life

You can talk about the way that a person is when you meet or see with the phrase "in real life".

When you know someone from seeing them on TV, talking to them on the telephone, etc., you get ideas about that person. After you meet them "in real life" you can compare your ideas about them with reality with how they really are. This phrase is very similar to "in person":

He's a lot shorter in person.

This phrase appears in these lessons: