GET Phrasal Verbs in English: Meanings and Examples
A phrasal verb is a verb plus a small word (a particle) that together make a new meaning. The verb get is one of the most common verbs in English, and it forms a huge number of phrasal verbs, with the particle changing the meaning each time: get up, get on, get off, get over, and many more.
This guide is for B1 to C1 learners who want to understand and use the most common get phrasal verbs in real conversation. By the end you will know what each one means, see an example of each, understand where the object goes, and avoid the mistakes learners make most. Three exercises are on this page so you can practice straight away.
A quick video summary
What a phrasal verb is
A phrasal verb combines a verb with a particle (an adverb or a preposition) to form a single expression. The particle often changes the meaning of the verb completely, so you cannot work out the meaning by translating each word on its own.
The trick is to learn the whole phrase as one unit of meaning. Note that get is an irregular verb: get, got, got. In American English the past participle is often gotten. Get is very common in informal speech.
The most useful GET phrasal verbs, with examples
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get up | to get out of bed; to stand up | I get up at seven every day. |
| get on | to board a bus, train or plane; to have a good relationship | She got on the train just in time. |
| get off | to leave a bus, train or plane; to leave work | We got off at the next stop. |
| get on with | to continue or make progress with something | Let’s get on with the meeting. |
| get along with | to have a friendly relationship with someone | I get along with my colleagues. |
| get by | to manage, often with difficulty | They get by on a small income. |
| get over | to recover from an illness or a difficult experience | It took her weeks to get over the flu. |
| get around | to travel to many places; to avoid a problem | It is easy to get around the city by bus. |
| get away | to escape; to take a short holiday | We got away for the weekend. |
| get away with | to avoid punishment for something | He got away with not paying. |
| get out | to leave a place | Get out of the building now! |
| get through | to finish something; to reach someone by phone | I finally got through to customer service. |
| get rid of | to remove or throw something away | We got rid of the old sofa. |
| get at | to reach something; to suggest or imply | What are you getting at? |
| get down to | to start doing something seriously | Let’s get down to business. |
Phrasal verbs are easy to read and hard to use. The only way they become natural is to use them in conversation. Book a free trial lesson and practice get phrasal verbs with an experienced native teacher, no credit card needed.
Book my free trialThe many meanings of “get off”
Some phrasal verbs have several meanings, so the context tells you which one is meant. “Get off” is a good example.
| Meaning | Example |
|---|---|
| to leave a bus, train or plane | We got off the bus at the market. |
| to leave work at the end of the day | I usually get off work at five. |
| to avoid a serious punishment | He got off with a warning. |
| to be found not guilty in court | She got off because of a lack of evidence. |
Where the object goes
Most get phrasal verbs are inseparable, so the object stays after the whole phrase. This is different from many other phrasal verbs, so it is worth remembering.
- Inseparable: get over, get around, get through, get at. The object follows the phrase: “get over it,” “get through it” (not “get it over”).
- Three-word verbs: get on with, get away with, get rid of, get down to. The object stays after the whole phrase: “get rid of it,” not “get it rid of.”
Common mistakes with GET phrasal verbs
- Translating word by word. “Get off” is not “get” plus “off.” Learn the whole phrase as one meaning.
- Trying to separate the verb. Most get phrasal verbs are inseparable: say “get over it,” not “get it over.”
- Confusing the meanings of get off. It can mean leave a train, leave work, or avoid a punishment. Context decides.
- Using the wrong form of get. Get is irregular: get, got, got (gotten in American English). “He getted up” is wrong; use “got up.”
Practice exercises on GET phrasal verbs
Try this exercise and check your results straight away.
Quick self-check
Choose the right get phrasal verb, then reveal the answers.
1. It took him a long time to ____ his cold. (recover from)
2. We really need to ____ these old boxes. (throw away)
3. What time do you ____ in the morning? (leave bed)
Show answers
1. get over. 2. get rid of. 3. get up.
How did that feel? Recognising a phrasal verb in an exercise is one thing. Reaching for the right one while you speak is the goal. In a free trial lesson, an experienced native teacher will have you using get phrasal verbs in real sentences within minutes.
Try a free trial lessonFrequently asked questions
What is a phrasal verb?
What does “get off” mean?
What is the difference between get on and get on with?
Are get phrasal verbs separable?
Is “get” a regular verb?
Key takeaways
- A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle with a new, combined meaning.
- Learn the whole phrase, do not translate get and the particle separately.
- The most common ones: get up, get on, get off, get over, get by, get rid of.
- Get off and get on have several meanings, so context decides.
- Get is irregular (get, got, got) and most of its phrasal verbs are inseparable; the object stays after the phrase.
Keep learning
- GIVE phrasal verbs
- MAKE phrasal verbs
- GO phrasal verbs
- More free English grammar guides
- Test your English level
Written and reviewed by the experienced native English teachers at Live English, online since 2007.