Look at these examples to see how used to, get used to and be used to are used.
I used to want to be a lawyer but then I realised how hard they work!
How's Boston? Are you used to the cold weather yet?
No matter how many times I fly, I'll never get used to take-off and landing!
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
Used to + infinitive and be/get used to + -ing look similar but they have very different uses.
used to
We use used to + infinitive to talk about a past situation that is no longer true. It tells us that there was a repeated action or state in the past which has now changed.
She used to be a long-distance runner when she was younger.
I didn't use to sleep very well, but then I started doing yoga and it really helps.
Did you use to come here as a child?
be used to and get used to
Be used to means 'be familiar with' or 'be accustomed to'.
She's used to the city now and doesn't get lost any more.
He wasn't used to walking so much and his legs hurt after the hike.
I'm a teacher so I'm used to speaking in public.
We use get used to to talk about the process of becoming familiar with something.
I'm finding this new job hard but I'm sure I'll get used to it soon.
It took my mother years to get used to living in London after moving from Pakistan.
I'm getting used to the noise now. I found it really stressful when I first moved in.
Be used to and get used to are followed by a noun, pronoun or the -ing form of a verb, and can be used about the past, present or future.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
Hi, friends and teachers. Can anyone explain to me the difference between (get used to something) and (be used to something). I'm really confused about that. I'll be very grateful, if support your reply with some examples.
Hi jailany,
"Get used to" means to gradually become familiar or comfortable with something. The thing becomes no longer strange, unusual or unexpected for you. In this phrase, "get" has the meaning of "become". So, it shows the process of the thing changing from unfamiliar to familiar. For example:
"Be used to" means to be familiar of comfortable with something. It just shows the end result, i.e. that you feel familiar/comfortable (unlike "get used to", which shows the gradual process of change to become like that). For example:
In summary, the difference is whether it shows a change (get used to) or a state (be used to). "Get used to" is often used when the speaker/writer wants to emphasise the gradual process of becoming familiar, or the idea that the process is not yet complete (e.g. I'm getting used to it).
Does that answer your question?
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
Hello teachers,
Can I use "get used to" with the present perfect ?
For example, can I say : "Since a couple days, I have got used to practising my english every day" ? Does it make sense either ?
Thank you.
Hello _.Yacine._,
Yes, you can say that. However, you should use 'Since a couple of days ago' as you are referring to a point in time here, not a period of time.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Salam,Peter.....Is it correct to use since three days ago?we always say since is used before a point of time..
Hello Reda711,
Yes, you can say this, but I think it's more common to use for:
since three weeks ago > for (the last) three weeks
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Dear teachers,
can you please explain me why in the sentences like "I'm used to speaking in public" or "he wasn't used to walking so much" I must use the gerund ? is it because of the past simple and past continuous?
Hello Loredana Bonazzoli,
In this construction 'to' is a preposition, not a part of the infinitive. You can follow it with a noun or a gerund, not a verb. For example:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi teachers,
In the sentence: " The women gathered around the coffin and began to wail, as was the custom in the region"
I don't get why they they use " as was" here?
Pleas help explain the meaning of this sentence and advise which types the word "as" is ? is it conjunction?
If any, please also help share me a grammar lesson link related to the phrase "as + be+ N"
Many thanks for your help!
Hello Amy18295,
'as' can mean something like 'in the way that', which is the way it's used here I'd say. So what that clause means is that it was customary in that region for women to gather around a coffin and wail.
In this use, 'as' is a conjunction, though it can also be a preposition. I'd suggest having a look at our Using 'as' and 'like' page.
All the best,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team