GET

* When you get to think about it, the whole internet thing is a mega-tool for us to do something. * Yes, when you get to think of having a chronic disease, the tendency is that you get to be locked down by this disease. * Being so caught up with life gets you to slow down and get your whole body stressed and tired. * The past isn't going to get you to your goal. * I always say that practice gets you to the top most of the time * Nothing gets you to mend your heart quicker than throwing yourself into work. * God gets you to the plate, but once you're there your on your own.

Expressions with GET

“Get” is a great word in English! It is used in so many different ways.  It is the kind of word you will see and hear everywhere and it can mean so many different things.

1. Answer the door: There's someone at the door. I'll get it."
2. Understand: Do you get it? * He got it and began having success. * I don't get you (I don't understand you, I cannot comprehend what you are saying) * I think he is a very strange person and I never get his jokes. (understand)
3. Persuade: Mary wanted to go to the cinema so she got someone else to do her homework for her. (she persuaded so else to do it for her)
4. Go somewhere and get something or someone, call for, fetch, pick up: Can you please get my jacket for me, it is upstairs? * I asked my son to get / fetch me a drink of water.
5. Earn: How much does she get a week now that she's been promoted?
6. Prepare, to make food ready to be cooked or eaten, for example by cleaning or cutting it: Will you get the supper while I do the hovering?
7. Take: Do you always get the bus to work? Don't you ever drive?
8. Have: You'll need to get a (good) haircut / get your hair cut before thinking about going for a job interview.
9. Contract an illness, become ill with it: My sister got measles when she was young but I never did.
10.  to get a lot of fun out of [or from] sth. (pasarlo bien con algo)

1. TO GET + adjective = become, show a change of state.

get married

We’re getting married next year – the wedding will be in August.

get divorced

Brenda got divorced ten years ago, and she hasn’t seen her ex-husband since!

get angry

My sister gets really angry when I borrow her clothes without telling her.
He gets angry very easily so be careful you don't annoy him. (lose one's temper)

get hungry

By the time they reached the house they were getting hungry.

get tired

It’s late and I’m getting tired. Let’s go home.
I'm getting tired of all this nonsense.

get dark

The theater’s getting dark – I think the movie is starting!

get lost

Philip got lost in the NYC subway and had to ask for directions to Times Square.

get old

My mother's getting old and needs looking after.

get dark

It gets dark very early in the Winter.

get hot

It's getting hotter.

get cool

Don't touch the stove until is gets cool.

More examples

I am getting old * It's getting hotter * By the time they reached the house they were getting hungry. * I'm getting tired of all this nonsense. My mother's getting old and needs looking after. * It gets dark very early in the winter. *  Don't touch the stove until is gets cool.

También tenemos varias expresiones con get y una emoción o sensación. Por ejemplo: get excited, get bored, get hungry, get angry, get tired.
Éstas tienen, a veces, traducciones directas al español, pero a veces no las tienen. En estos casos se trata de “empezar a sentir algo.” Se usan especialmente en el continuo.
I’m getting tired. = Me estoy cansando. I’m getting angry = Me estoy enfadando. The baby is getting hungry. = El bebé está empezando a tener hambre. She’s getting bored. = Ella se está aburriendo.

2. GET + comparative

get better

Larissa’s getting better at dancing. She practices every day.

get worse

If your headache gets worse, you should see a doctor.

get more expensive

It’s getting more and more expensive to buy an apartment in Rio de Janeiro.

get safer

Buying things online has gotten safer with tools like PayPal.

get more important

It’s getting more important to speak multiple languages in today’s globalized world.

get deeper

Be careful – the water gets deeper quickly on that side of the pool.

3. TO GET + preposition/adverb = phrasal verbs with various meanings.

get on

Definitions: 1. enter/sit on a form of transport,(train, bus, bicycle, plane); 2. have a relationship with someone; 3. to get along; manage, to thrive. Well, how are you two getting on? We are getting on okay.
I don't get on with my mother-in-law. We always seem to argue over silly things.

get on with

get on with the job/business/work of something (-ing). get on with doing something:

The government must get on with addressing these long-standing issues.

get up

Definition: Leave your bed.
My alarm clock goes off at 6:30, but I don’t get up until 7:15.
He usually gets up at 8 o’clock. On weekends he gets up at ten.
He gets up at 6.00 a.m. every morning.

get along with

1. If people get along, they like each other and are friendly to each other

I get along really well with most of my colleagues. They’re a pleasure to work with.

2. to manage to continue doing something or make progress in a situation

I got along much better in my new job.

How are you getting along with your schoolwork?

get along without

I couldn’t get along without you.

get into

How did the dog get into the house? He’s supposed to stay outside!

get out

Randall got out of the car to check the tires.

get out of (something/a duty)

avoid doing something, especially a duty 
She got out of the washing-up every day, even when it was her turn.

get around

I get around by public transport, and sometimes by car.
It’s very easy to get around Berlin – there’s a great subway system.
How do you usually get around Madrid?

get (a)round to doing something (spoken)

to find time to do something.

I wanted to see that movie but never got around to it.

get together

My family always gets together for major holidays like Christmas and New Year’s.

get over something 

I’m finally getting over my cold, it’s been four days!
It took her years to get over her divorce.

get over yourself

It means you are making too much of a big deal out of your problem or situation. You might be over-analyzing something to death. Someone told me that once and I did just that and I actually relaxed and felt better. However, I didn't like her anymore. Ha! It means stop being so self-centered, self-obsessed  and conceited. Stop being so... self-centered, having a big ego.
Don't take yourself or your problems too seriously. Other people are dieing of hunger. Not having the latest cell phone isn't the end of the world.  

4. TO GET +  to do something / to a place  = reach, arrive at a place, reach.

get to (do / manage to do something)

Did you get to see the Tower of London while you were in London last week? (be able to do something) * It may be difficult to get to see him; he is a very busy man. (manage)

get to you

Unless there's bad weather, I should get to you around 7pm.

get to London

What time does this train get to London? (arrive)

get to the office

My boss always gets to the office by 7:30 AM.

get home

I had to work overtime, so I didn’t get home until midnight.

get to school

Sarah got to school late and missed her first class.

get to the train station

When they got to the train station, they realized they’d left their tickets at home.

get to the store

Hurry up! I want to get to the store before it closes.

get there / here / back / home (without preposition)

I don’t know exactly where the post office is. Could you tell me how to get there?
What time will we get there?
When did you get back from New York?

More examples:

How are you getting home tonight? * We got to London around 6 p.m. * What time will we get there? * When did you get back from New York?

5. TO GET + direct object = to receive, to obtain, to buy

get a newspaper

They are quite serious people and get the Observer every Sunday. (to receive or buy regularly)

get money

He gets $1,000 a year from his father.

get grades

If you get good grades in high school, you can get into a good college.

get a certification

I got my scuba diving certification last year.

get an award

Ted got an award for being the best salesperson in the company.

get permission / the go-ahead

They got permission to live in Switzerland

GET = buy / obtain

get a job

Tanya moved to Los Angeles because she got a job there.

get an apartment

“Have you found a place to live?”
“Yeah, I just got a great apartment right in the city center!”

get a computer

I got this computer just last month, and it’s already broken.

get a jacket

That’s a really nice jacket! Where did you get it?

get shoes

I got these shoes in Barcelona.

get [something] for a good price

We got this TV for a good price during the spring sale.

Idioms & Expressions with "GET"

get the time. To become free to do something; to have a period of time in which to do something.

I'm sorry for not mowing the lawn, I just never got the time.

When you get the time, please look over these reports and make sure they are correct.


Get someone's drift
Definition: understand what someone has said
Do you get his drift?

I don't get his drift. Does he think I should quit?

Get a bang / kick out of someone or something

Definition: enjoy someone or something greatly
I really get a bang out of Tom!

She got a kick out of the new video game.

Get a life!
Definition: Don't worry about such stupid, or petty things
Come on. Get a life! Go out and have some fun.

I wish Janet would get a life. She's always complaining about nothing.

Get a load off one's mind
Definition: stop worrying about something
I'm glad he got the job. I'm sure he's got a load off his mind.

That news gets a load off my mind.

Get a load of someone or something
Definition: take notice of someone or something
Get a load of that boy over there!

Get a load of this book. It's excellent!

Get away!
Definition: I don't believe you
He didn't say that! Get away!

No, get away! That's can't be true.

To get down on someone

Definition: criticize someone
Don't get so down on Janet.

My boss is getting down on me.

Get down to doing something
Definition: begin to do something seriously
Let's get down to business.

I got down to doing the report yesterday afternoon.

Get face
Definition: be taken seriously
He's really beginning to get face in that company.

I wish I could get face.

Get into something

Definition: enjoy greatly
He's really getting into that new CD by Japlin.

I got into the movie last night.

Get it
Definition: understand
Do you get it?

He got it and began having success.
I don't get you (I don't understand you, I cannot comprehend what you are saying)
Peter didn't get the joke and couldn't understand why everyone else was laughing.

Get lost!
Definition: go away
Come on, get lost!

I wish Tom would get lost.

Get off on something
Definition: enjoy greatly
He's really getting off on jazz these days.

Do you get off on cult movies?

Get one's act together. (organizarse, espabilarse)
Definition: become organized about something
I wish Mary would get her act together.

Yes, I got my act together and found a new job.

Get one's lumps
Definition: receive punishment
She got her lumps for disobeying her parents.

I shouldn't have done that. Now I'm getting my lumps.

Get one's teeth into something
Definition: do something with a lot of dedication
I'm getting my teeth into the new project at work.

I think you are going to get your teeth into this book.

Get on someone's case
Definition: to criticize someone about a problem
Stop getting on my case about homework.

My boss is getting on my case about the project.

Get out of my face!
Definition: stop bothering me
Get out of my face! I'm going to do it!

She told him to get out of her face.

Get real!
Definition: start acting realistically
Get real about her.

Forget it. Get real.

Get rid of something = to throw it away, deshacerse de algo.
I'm going to get rid of all these old newspapers.
I’m getting rid of some old clothes. 
Did you get rid of your black jacket?
Get someone's goat.
Definition: bother someone
She's getting his goat recently.

Tom is really getting my goat.

Get some shut-eye
Definition: go to sleep
I need to go home and get some shut-eye.

He looks like he needs to get some shut-eye.

Get the goods on someone
Definition: find out incriminating evidence against someone
Janet got the goods on him and they are getting divorced.

I can't wait to get the goods on Jack.

Get the message / picture
Definition: understand
So do you get the picture?

I don't think he gets the message.
Get the go-ahead
permission or a signal to proceed:
They got the go-ahead on the building project.

Get the nod
Definition: be chosen
Peter got the nod for the job.

I think Mary should get the nod.

Get to someone
Definition: bother someone
Tom is really getting to Mary.

Motor scooter noise gets to me!

Get used to
I’m getting used to the Irish accent. It’s not too difficult.
Get with it
Definition: hurry up
Get with it. We're late.

I wish Tom would get with it.

Once you have studied these expressions, test your knowledge with quiz testing idioms and expressions with get.


Other expressions with GET

To get at try to expres.
I think I see what you're getting at. I agree.
Do you get it means do you understand
Do you get what the teacher was explaining in class?
He's getting dinner tonight means he's preparing the meal.
You can relax. It's my turn to get dinner tonight.
I'll get the bill means I'll pay.
Put your wallet away! I'll get the bill.
That really gets me! means that irritates / annoys me.
It really gets me when my sister shows up late.
What really gets me is the way he blows his nose on the sleeve of his jumper. (annoys)
To get out of bed on the wrong side means to be in a bad mood.
He got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning and he's been horrible all day.
To get your own back means to have your revenge or punish someone.
She's getting her own back for all those rude things you said at the party last night.
If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys means that only stupid people will work for you if you do not pay very much 'This company is full of incompetents!' 'Well, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.'

get something / it 

1. to receive punishment. Bill broke the window, and he's really going to get it. John got it for arriving late at school.

2. to receive the meaning of a joke; to understand a joke. John told a joke, but I didn't get it. Bob laughed very hard, but Mary didn't get it.

get something (for an amount of money)

to buy something for a certain amount of money. I got my car for only $1500. She got her dinner for a song.

get /have the best of

To outdo or outwit; defeat: My opponent got the best of me in the debate.

get

/have the better of

To outdo or outwit; defeat.

get

/have the worst of it

To suffer a defeat or disadvantage

get

/lay (one's) hands on

To get possession of; acquire or obtain.

get

/have (someone's) number

To determine or know someone's real character or motives.

get

/put it all together Slang

To unify and harmonize one's resources so as to perform with maximal effectiveness.

to get away with	escape punishment for a crime or bad action	I can't believe you got away with cheating on that test!
to get by	manage (financially)	Sam doesn't earn much, but we get by.
to get down	depress, descend	This rain is really getting me down.
to get off	leave a form of transport (train, bus, bicycle, plane)	We got off the train just before the bomb exploded.
to get on	1. enter/sit on a form of transport (train, bus, bicycle, plane) 2. have a relationship with someone	1. He got on his bicycle and rode down the street. 2. Amy and I really get on well.
to get on with	to proceed	I have so much homework, I'd better get on with it.
to get out of	avoid doing something, especially a duty	She got out of the washing-up every day, even when it was her turn.
to get over	recover (from an illness, a surprise)	Have you gotten over your cold yet?
to get through to get up to	use or finish the supply of something do - usually something bad	We've got through all the sugar. Can you buy some more? The children are very quiet. I wonder what they're getting up to.