How to use the verb 'to get' in English | Learn English with Cambridge

I’m George, and today we’re going to learn

various ways to use the verb to get.

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If you’re wondering where I am,

I’m in Seoul, South Korea,

and I got here about two weeks ago,

so I’m going to show you some of the sights.

Get, in this context, means to arrive.

But be careful,

you always need to include the place after get.

For example, it’s perfectly acceptable to say,

when did you arrive, but it’s incorrect to say,

when did you get.

The correct sentence is when did you get here?

The first place that we’re going to is Hongdae,

so I need to get the metro.

In this example,

get means to take public transportation.

For example, you can say, I get the bus to work,

or I got a taxi here.

But it sounds strange to say,

I got the bike here or I got the car here,

because these aren’t modes of public transportation.

Instead, it sounds better to say,

I cycled here or I drove here.

While we’re waiting for the metro,

let’s look at the pronunciation of get.

If you listen to a native speaker,

you’ll probably hear them say, geh.

This is the glottal T sound,

and you can find out more about this in my Glottal T,

Hard T video.

To pronounce get, start off by saying air.

Air.

Then cut that long air sound in your throat.

So you say, air, eh, eh, get.

And we’re going to get the metro now.

This is Hongdae,

an area of Seoul known for its cafés,

restaurants, nightlife, and street performers.

Let’s have a look.

After watching one of the dance performances,

I decided to busk myself.

But I didn’t get any money.

In this example, get means to receive.

So you could say, what did you get for Christmas?

I got this fashionable coat.

This is Gwangjang Market, famous for its street food.

You can get fish,

fish-shaped bread, fishcakes, kimchi,

or an octopus.

But I decided to get the Korean pancake.

It’s getting dark now, so it’s time to party.

But not for me, I’m going home,

I’m having some warm milk and I’m going to bed.

However, to get isn’t completely the same

as to become.

Get is used when we talk about things

that are changing.

For example, I could say, it’s getting cold now,

so I’m going to put on my fashionable coat.

Let’s have a quick review.

Get can mean to arrive.

I got here about two weeks ago.

To take public transportation.

And we’re going to get the metro now.

To receive.

But I didn’t get any money.

To buy.

I decided to get the Korean pancake.

And to become.

It’s getting dark now, so it’s time to party.

Just remember that get is more informal than its alternatives,

and it is more commonly used in spoken English.

That’s all we have time for today.

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