Be Used to and Get Used to
Learn to use be used to and get used to with nouns and -ing forms, describe familiar situations and changes, and distinguish them from past used to.
Some things feel normal because you have experienced them many times. Other things are new, and you need time to feel comfortable with them. Use be used to for familiar situations and get used to for the process of becoming comfortable with something.
Familiar situations: be used to
Be used to means that something is familiar or normal for you. It does not necessarily mean that you like it.
The pattern is subject + be + used to + noun, pronoun or -ing form.
- I am used to the noise. I live near a busy road, so the noise is normal for me.
- We are used to it. It happens every day.
- Lena is used to working at night. She has worked night shifts for years.
For negatives and questions, change be, just as you do in other sentences with this verb.
| Sentence type | Example |
|---|---|
| Statement | He is used to getting up early. |
| Negative | He isn't used to getting up early. |
| Question | Is he used to getting up early? |
| Short answer | Yes, he is. / No, he isn't. |
Becoming comfortable: get used to
Get used to describes a change: something becomes more familiar or less strange over time.
The pattern is subject + get + used to + noun, pronoun or -ing form.
Compare the two meanings:
Already familiar: I am used to living alone. It feels normal now.
Still becoming familiar: I am getting used to living alone. It feels easier each week, but it is still new for me.
Use forms of do for simple present and simple past negatives and questions with get.
- Do you usually get used to new routines quickly?
- I didn't get used to the noise, even after six months.
- Did you get used to working at weekends?
I'm not used to it describes your situation: it is not familiar to you. I'm getting used to it describes a change: it is becoming more familiar. Both can be true at the same time.
What comes after to?
In both expressions, to is a preposition. Follow it with a noun, a pronoun or the -ing form of a verb—not an infinitive.
| What follows to? | With be used to | With get used to |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | I'm used to the weather. | You'll get used to the weather. |
| Pronoun | She's used to it. | She's getting used to it. |
| -ing form | We're used to walking everywhere. | We're getting used to walking everywhere. |
✗ I'm used to wake up early.
✓ I'm used to waking up early.
Keep to, but put the next verb in the -ing form: used to waking up.
Quick check
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Talking about different times
Change be or get to show the time. The words used to stay the same.
| Meaning | Example |
|---|---|
| A familiar situation in the past | Before I moved, I was used to taking the bus everywhere. |
| A change happening now | I am getting used to cycling to work. |
| A change completed in the past | At first, the route felt strange, but I soon got used to it. |
| A change expected in the future | You will get used to using the new system. |
| A familiar situation at a future time | By next month, you will be used to your new routine. |
You can also use get used to after another verb:
It took me a month to get used to wearing glasses.
Here, to get follows It took me a month. After used to, we still need wearing, not wear.
Be used to or used to?
Do not confuse be/get used to with used to + base form, which describes a past habit or situation that is no longer true.
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| used to + base form | I used to work at night. | I worked at night in the past, but I don't now. |
| be used to + -ing | I am used to working at night. | Working at night is familiar to me. |
| get used to + -ing | I am getting used to working at night. | Working at night is becoming more familiar. |
Check the meaning before choosing the form. A past habit needs used to + base form. A familiar situation or a change towards familiarity needs be/get used to + noun or -ing form.
Quick checklist
- Is the situation already familiar? Use be used to.
- Is it becoming familiar? Use get used to.
- Choose the form of be or get that matches the time and subject.
- After used to, use a noun, a pronoun or an -ing form.
I'm used to it = it feels normal. I'm getting used to it = it is starting to feel normal.
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Last updated October 14, 2026