get
gb/ɡˈɛt/ us/ɡˈɛt/
A1
English
~ 100
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
action
1
obtain or receive something
To get something means to receive it or have it given to you.
Usage pattern:
to get [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'get' with 'become' when talking about receiving things, leading to incorrect sentences like 'I became a gift'.
Synonyms
receive (More formal and neutral; often used for official or planned giving.)
|
obtain (Often implies effort or process in getting something.)
Antonyms
give (Opposite action of transferring something to someone else.)
Collocations
get a job
|get a ticket
|get a gift
|get money
|get a chance
Themes
daily life
|commerce
|daily_life
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I got a letter from my friend yesterday.
- She got a new phone for her birthday.
- We need to get more milk before the store closes.
- He got first prize in the competition.
- They got the package this morning.
Learner examples
- I got a book from the library.
- She got a pen from her teacher.
- We got some apples from the shop.
- He got a toy from his dad.
Verb
A2
action
2
become or start being
To change into a new state or condition.
Usage pattern:
to get [adjective]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'become' instead of 'get' in casual speech, making it sound overly formal.
Synonyms
become (More formal and explicit; often used in writing.)
Antonyms
remain (Means to stay in the same state without changing.)
Collocations
get tired
|get ready
|get sick
|get angry
|get lost
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It's getting dark outside.
- He got very angry when he heard the news.
- I hope you get well soon.
- She got nervous before the interview.
- We got lost in the city.
Learner examples
- It is getting cold now.
- He got happy when he saw his dog.
- I got sick last week.
- She got tired after running.
Verb
A1
action
3
arrive at a place
To come to a place.
Usage pattern:
to get [to a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit 'to' after 'get' when it's needed, e.g., 'We got school' instead of 'We got to school'.
Synonyms
arrive (More formal; often used for official arrival times.)
Antonyms
leave (Means to go away from a place.)
Collocations
get home
|get to work
|get there
|get into town
Themes
travel
|daily life
|transportation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We got to the station just in time.
- What time did you get home last night?
- I usually get to work at nine o'clock.
- They got into the city before noon.
Learner examples
- I get home at 5 p.m.
- We got to school early.
- She got to the park at 3 o’clock.
- He got to the bus stop on time.
Verb
A2
action
4
understand something mentally
To understand what someone says or means.
Usage pattern:
to get [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'get' here means 'receive', causing confusion in understanding context.
Synonyms
understand (Direct synonym; 'get' is more informal and conversational.)
Antonyms
misunderstand (Fail to understand correctly.)
Collocations
get the joke
|get the idea
|get the point
Themes
communication
|learning
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Do you get what I mean?
- I didn't get the joke at first.
- She finally got the point of the story.
- He doesn't get why it's important.
Learner examples
- I don't get this word.
- Do you get my question?
- She gets the lesson now.
- He gets the story.
Verb
B1
action
5
cause someone to do something
To make another person do or feel something.
Usage pattern:
to get [someone] to [verb] / to get [someone/something] [past participle]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with simple possession, missing the causative meaning entirely.
Synonyms
persuade (Implies convincing through reasoning or requests.)
|
make ('Make' can sound stronger or more forceful than 'get'.)
Antonyms
prevent (Stop someone from doing something.)
Collocations
get someone to help
|get someone interested
|get something fixed
Themes
communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I got my brother to help me move the furniture.
- She got her phone fixed yesterday.
- The movie really got me thinking about life.
- We need to get everyone involved in the project.
Learner examples
- I got my friend to help me.
- She got her car cleaned.
- He got his watch repaired.
- They got the children excited.
Grammar
Dictionary form
get
IPA
GB/ɡˈɛt/
US/ɡˈɛt/
Syllables & stress
get (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (get)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: get
- 3rd Person Singular: gets
- Present Participle: getting
- Past: got
- Past Participle: gotten
Word family
Forms
gets
verb
getting
verb
got
verb
gotten
verb
Related words
getaway
noun B1
get-together
noun B1
Advanced or less common
go-getter
noun B2
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: getting Verb
- Irregular past: got Verb
- Irregular past participle: gotten Verb
Expressions
get along with
1/ɡˈɛt əlˈɔŋ wˈɪθ/
phrasal verb
have a good relationship with someone
To be friendly and work well together with someone.
Examples
- I really get along with my coworkers.
- Do you get along with your neighbors?
get along with
4/ɡˈɛt əlˈɔŋ wˈɪθ/
phrasal verb
have a good relationship
To like someone enough to have a good relationship with them.
Examples
- Do you get along with your new manager?
- The two brothers don’t always get along with each other.
- She gets along well with everyone on the team.
get together
1/ɡˈɛt təɡˈɛðɚ/
phrasal verb
meet socially with others for activity/event
To meet with friends, family, or others for fun or an activity.
Examples
- We should get together for dinner sometime.
- Our class gets together every year for a reunion.
get up
1/ɡˈɛt ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
rise from bed or sitting/lying position
To stand after sitting or lying, especially in the morning after sleeping.
Examples
- I usually get up at 7 a.m. on weekdays.
- She got up from her chair to greet him.
get up
2/ɡˈɛt ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
rise from bed or seat
To get out of bed, or to stand up.
Examples
- What time do you get up on weekdays?
- He got up from the table and answered the door.
- I was so tired that I didn’t get up until noon.
get over
1/ɡˈɛt ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
recover from illness or difficulty
To feel better after being sick, sad, or having problems.
Examples
- It took her months to get over the breakup.
- It took her months to get over the flu.
- He's finally getting over his cold.
- He still hasn’t got over losing his job.
get rid of
1/ɡˈɛt ɹˈɪd əv/
phrasal verb
remove or dispose of something unwanted
To throw away or stop having something you do not want.
Examples
- I need to get rid of these old clothes.
- They finally got rid of the broken sofa.
get rid of
2/ɡˈɛt ɹˈɪd əv/
phrasal verb
Remove or dispose of something unwanted
To throw away, remove, or stop having something you do not want.
Examples
- I need to get rid of these old shoes.
- She finally got rid of her bad habits.
- We should get rid of the broken furniture.