In most cases, get is used instead of another, more formal, verb.
Get is used a lot when speaking but not when writing.
Look at the examples below.
The first sentence uses the more formal verb and in the second sentence the formal verb replaced wth get.
Each of the formal verbs has a meaning like obtain.
Use 'Get' To Obtain Something
Buy
- Shall we buy some fruit? Shall we get some fruit?
- They bought a new pet. They got a new pet.
- I'm buying a new sofa! I'm getting a new sofa!
Receive
- I received a lovely necklace for my birthday. I got a lovely necklace for my birthday.
- That new movie is receiving really great reviews. That new movie is getting really great reviews.
- Did you receive the email I sent? Did you get the email I sent?
Fetch
- Go and fetch it! Go and get it!
- Could you fetch some wine? Could you get some wine?
- Let me fetch my phone. Let me get my phone.
Catch (a thing)
- I caught the ball! I got the ball!
- Catch it! Get it!
- The goalkeeper said he will catch it! The goalkeeper said he will get it!
Catch (a person)
- I liked him for so long, and then, I caught him! I liked him for so long, and now I got him!
- He caught himself a great wife! He got himself a great wife!
- They caught the thieves. They got the thieves.
Achieve
- He achieved his degree. He got his degree.
- They achieved three goals in their last game against Germany. They got three goals in their last game against Germany.
- She achieved great grades this year. She got great grades this year.
Contract (obtain a service)
- We've contracted him for the length of this contract. We've got him for the length of this contract.
- He's contracted us for the rest of the day. He's got us for the rest of the day.
- She will contract him for next week. She will get him for next week.
Take (also catch)
- She took a plane to France. She gets a plane to France.
- We can take a taxi back to the hotel. We can get a taxi back to the hotel.
- i will take the train home. I will get the train home.
Use 'Get' For A Change Of Emotion Or State
Become
- Don't you think it's becoming colder? Don't you think it's getting colder?
- Your dog has become better. Your dog has got better.
- Please don't become angry with me. Please don't get angry with me.
Contract (become ill)
- They contracted some horrible disease while they were travelling. They got some horrible disease while they were travelling.
- He's contracted covid. He's got covid.
- I have sent Tom home sick before everyone contracts his cold. I have sent Tom home sick before everyone gets his cold.
Use 'Get' To Arrive Somewhere
Arrive
- She arrived there in the afternoon. She got there in the afternoon.
- They didn't arrive Germany yet. They didn't get to Germany yet.
- I arrived at work late because of the snow. I got to work late because of the snow.
Use 'Get' To Show Understanding
Understand
- He understood the joke. He got the joke.
- I understand it. I get it.
- They will understand if you explain slowly. They will get it if you explain slowly.
Use 'Get' For An Experience
Experience
- John's just experienced a great idea! John's just got a great idea!
- She experiences travel sickness. She gets travel sick.
- He will gain experience from an internship. He will get experience from an internship.
Use 'Get' To Indicate Something Is Made To Happen Or Someone Is Being Forced To Make Something Happen
Make/Force (someone to do something)
- They finally got me to buy a new computer. They finally got me to buy a new computer.
- My wife got me to pay attention to the speaker. My wife got me to pay attention to the speaker.
- The employees got the manager to agree to new terms. The employees got the manager to agree to new terms.
Make (something happen)
- We're renewing the passports before our holiday. We're getting the passports renewed before our holiday.
- We have fixed the car. We got the car fixed.
- He will be done (be finished) by tomorrow. He will get it done by tomorrow.
Use Get For An Act Of Revenge
Obtain revenge on
- We'll obtain revenge on them! We'll get them!
- Are you going to obtain revenge on me in return? Are you going to get me back?
- Just wait until I obtain revenge on you! Just wait until I get you!
Use 'Get' Instead Of The Verb 'To Be' When The Sentence Structure Is Object Then Verb (passive voice)
Was
- Their car was stolen last night. Their car got stolen last night.
- The company's new website was finished. The company's new website got finished.
- The ball was thrown really far. The ball got thrown really far.
Phrasal Verbs With Get
There are many, many phrasal verbs using get. Here are those you are most likely to hear.
Get about
To be mobile
- He can get about a lot more since he bought an electric wheelchair.
- If we get the day tickets, it will let us go anywhere, and we can get about the city a lot more.
Get across
To successfully communicate an idea.
- I'm not sure he got his view across in that meeting.
- If I can get my point across, I am sure you will agree.
To cross from one side to another.
- Can we get across the river here?
- We got across the road when the traffic lights turned red.
Get ahead
Do better than.
- If we can finish this today, we will get ahead of our timeline.
- I want to get ahead in my career.
Get around to
To start something. (Usually, this is something you don't really want to do.).
- I'll get around to the cleaning later.
- When I have the time, I will also get around to your problem.
Get at
To repeatedly criticise someone.
- You're getting at me!
- The manager really got at John in the meeting. It was really unfair!
Get away
Successfully leave after a crime.
- The getaway car was abandoned nearby.
- The thief got away with the money.
Get away with
Do something and not be caught or punished.
- He stole the money and got away with it.
- I get away with doing as little as possible at work..
Get back
Return to a place or person.
- We should get back by 7:30.
- She got him back.
Move backwards(often as a warning).
- The car's on fire! Get back!
- You're too close. Get back.
Get behind
Become late with paying for something. (Also 'fell behind'.)
- If you get behind with your payments, you can lose the car.
- She couldn't work this month and got behind with her bills.
Get by
Manage with difficulty.
- My English isn't good, but I know enough to get by on holiday.
- Money is tight; they only just get by.
Get in
Enter a house, car, swimmming pool or container.
- Get in the car!
- The water in the swimming pool is so warm! You should get in!
Get out
Exit a house, car, swimmming pool or container.
- We should get out of the car!
- Get out of my house!
Get on
Enter a bus, train, plane, bike or boat.
- Let's get on the bus.
- We are getting on the plane now!
Get off
Exit a bus, train, plane, bike or boat.
- Get off my bike!
- Let's get off the boat.
Get off
Stop
- Can I get off work early? I need to collect my kids.
- Don't touch me! Get off!
Get on / get along with
Have a good relationship with someone.
- Did you get along with him?
- The team just didn't get on together.
Getting on
Becoming older
- It's my 60th birthday next month. I'm getting on a bit.
- My parents are getting on, they can't manage like they used to.
Time is becoming late.
- It's getting on for 4pm, I have to leave soon.
- It's getting on a bit, you will have to go home.
Get out
Leave
- If there is a fire, get out by the nearest exit.
- She gets out of prison next week.
Get out of
Avoid doing something you don't want to do.
- I told my teacher I was ill and I got out of doing the exam today.
- I got out of cleaning my room.
Leave a bad relationship.
- Once I got out of my marriage, I was happy..
- Once he got out of that relationship, he went abroad.
Get over
Recover from an illness or a bad situation.
- I was really sick, but I've got over it now.
- They divorced recently, but she got over it quickly.
Get rid of
Throw someone or something away
- I need to get rid of my old clothes.
- She needs to get rid of him. He is jealous all the time.
Get stuck
Delayed
- I'm late because I got stuck in traffic.
- John's probably got stuck in the office; we were very busy today.
Get through
Make contact
- Mary says she can't get through to Joe. Is his phone ringing?
- I couldn't get through. I will try to speak to them later.
Get through to
Communicate an understanding
- My son and I always seem to be arguing nowadays; I cannot get through to him.
- I have had enough! I tried to get through to her, but she won't listen to me.
Get to
Reach a place.
- When I get to the end of this page, I will stop.
- They get to the halfway point soon.
Get up
Leave your bed after waking.
- I got up at 7:30.
- What time are you getting up tomorrow?
Rise from a chair or the floor.
- Get up from the chair because I need to move it.
- Get up! The floor's dirty!
Get up to
Do
- What did you get up to this weekend?
- She looks tired; I wonder what she got up to last night.
Get used to
Adjust to something
- It's really hot here, but you get used to it.
- I got used to working at night.
Get wound up
Get angry
- He always gets wound up when he talks about politics.
- The kids have got her really wound up today.
Have got
Used as 'to have'. (It is always 'have got', never 'have get'.)
- She has got a new car.
- Have you got any brothers and sisters?