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Tenses & Verb Forms

Used to / Be used to / Get used to

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Used to, be used to, and get used to look similar, but they have very different meanings. The key difference is between past habits and being comfortable with something.

1. Used to → past habits or states (no longer true)

Use used to + base verb to talk about things that were true in the past but are not true now.

  • I used to live in London. (now I don’t)
  • She used to play tennis every weekend.
  • We used to be close friends.

2. Be used to → be comfortable with something

Use be used to + noun / -ing to say that something is normal or familiar.

  • I am used to waking up early.
  • She is used to the noise.
  • They are used to working long hours.

Important: after “to”, we use -ing, not the base verb.

  • ❌ I am used to wake up early.
  • ✔️ I am used to waking up early.

3. Get used to → become comfortable

Use get used to + noun / -ing when the situation is changing.

  • I am getting used to waking up early.
  • She got used to the weather.
  • You will get used to working here.

Key differences

  • Used to → past (no longer true)
  • Be used to → already comfortable
  • Get used to → becoming comfortable

💡 Tip

  • Used to = past life
  • Be used to = OK now
  • Get used to = transition
  • After “used to” (habit) → base verb
  • After “used to” (comfort) → -ing

Test your knowledge 📝

Question 1 sur 10Score: 0/10

I ___ in Paris, but now I live in Lisbon.

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