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.
Dear Dante
The difference between the two sentences lies in the way they express the idea of becoming accustomed to something.
The first sentence, "Even though I loved my old job, I couldn't used to the long hours," is grammatically incorrect. The correct version of this sentence would be "Even though I loved my old job, I couldn't get used to the long hours." The verb "get" is necessary to form the phrasal verb "get used to," which means to become familiar with or accustomed to something.
The second sentence, "Even though I loved my old job, I couldn't get used to the long hours," expresses the idea that the process of becoming accustomed to the long hours was difficult for the speaker. The focus is on the process of getting used to the long hours, rather than on the state of being used to them.
In general, "getting used to something" emphasizes the process of becoming accustomed to something, while "being used to something" emphasizes the state of being familiar with or accustomed to something.
Hi friends.
why in this sentences "Even though I loved my old job, I _____ the long hours." i cannot use "couldn't be used to" instead of "couldn't get used to"?
Hello diego_RHB,
Get used to describes the process of becoming familiar with something (the thing no longer being strange). In your context this is exactly what is happening (or not happening): the speaker is not used to something and is unable to change this.
Couldn't be... here would express speculation and have the sense of 'maybe this is the situation'. Obviously, we don't speculate in this way about ourselves as we know the situation.
You can read more about modal verbs used for deduction in the past and present here:
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/modals-deductions-about-the-present
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/modals-deductions-about-the-past
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi my dear teacher(s)! i read this page and tried to make some sentences.
are these true, my dear teacher?
in the first days of me in this city i used to go to gym but nowadays i am not going anymore.
i feel confused and a little bit embarassed but i was used to this city swiftly.
the times i am getting used to here is a nice remember for me now.
Hello muslumts61,
I'm afraid we don't correct our users' texts, but I can give you a little feedback.
In the first, you used 'used to go' correctly -- well done.
In the second, I would probably say 'I got used to this city quickly'. If you talk about it happening quickly, you seem to be talking about the process.
In the third, maybe you should use the past continuous tense to talk about the past: 'The time when I was getting used to this place is a nice memory for me now'.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
So good questions love it so much got everything right so fun! really recomennd so much fun for learning! so good
Hi, a question please.
Is it correct to say
I used to have his number before
or
is it better to say
I was having his number before
Thank you!
Hello Amani,
'I was having his number before' is not correct. The best version of these two sentences is 'I used to have his number'. The word 'before' is redundant when you use 'used to' + verb.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
I used to have his number before
Dear Professors,
I have a question about the use of "Be used to " and Get used to".
Aboveall, I'd like to know if the following expressions are correct:
1. I am not used to using this new wash machine yet.
2. I have not got used to using this new wash machine yet.
If yes, I would use them with the following interprations.
For the first one, the focus is on the fact that "The wash machine is not easy to use ". For the second one, instead, the focus is on long learning process.
is It orrect or they are exposed to another interprations?
Thanks