Be Used To vs Get Used To: Clear Explanation, Examples and Practice

Many English learners get confused by be used to vs get used to. That is completely understandable, because the two structures look very similar. However, they are not the same.

The difference is simple:

• be used to = you are already familiar with something
• get used to = you become familiar with something over time

There is also a third structure that often causes trouble:

• used to + infinitive = a past habit or past state

In this lesson, we will look at all three forms clearly, with easy explanations and plenty of examples.

Be used to

Form:

be used to + noun / pronoun / verb + -ing

Meaning:

When you are used to something, it means it is familiar to you. It no longer feels strange, difficult, or surprising. You have already become comfortable with it.

Examples:

• After ten years in that factory, I am used to the smell of chemicals.
• I’m used to eating in that restaurant because I go there regularly.
• Jane works with young children, so she’s used to dealing with noise.
• Are you used to walking long distances? We hike every weekend.
• When I lived by the sea, I was used to strong winds.

Important idea:

This structure describes a state, not a process. It shows that the change has already happened.

Think of it like this:

You are not adapting any more — you have already adapted.

Be used to in different tenses

Because be used to uses the verb be, it can appear in different tenses.

Present:

• I’m used to the traffic now.
• She isn’t used to working nights.

Past:

• When I was a student, I was used to staying up late.
• He wasn’t used to such cold weather.

Future:

• You’ll soon be used to the routine.
• After a few weeks, they’ll be used to waking up early.

Get used to

Form:

get used to + noun / pronoun / verb + -ing

Meaning:

Get used to describes the process of becoming familiar with something. At first, it may feel new, uncomfortable, or difficult, but gradually it becomes normal.

Examples:

• Now that I live in England, I’ll have to get used to driving on the left.
• It takes time to get used to living in another country.
• Have you got used to the New Zealand accent yet?
• The twins are slowly getting used to sharing a room.
• At first the job was stressful, but she eventually got used to leading a team.

Important idea:

This structure focuses on change. It shows that the person is adapting, or has adapted after a period of time.

In other words:

• be used to = the situation is already normal
• get used to = the situation is becoming normal

Get used to in different tenses

Like many verb structures, get used to can appear in different tenses too.

Present:

• I’m slowly getting used to my new schedule.
• She finds it hard to get used to online meetings.

Past:

• It took me a while, but I finally got used to commuting by train.
• We quickly got used to the local food.

Present continuous:

• We’re getting used to using the new software.
• He’s still getting used to his new glasses.

Future:

• Don’t worry — you’ll soon get used to speaking English every day.
• I’m sure they’ll get used to the weather eventually.

The key difference

This is the main point to remember:

Be used to = already accustomed

You are comfortable with it now.

• I’m used to waking up early.
  = Waking up early is normal for me.

Get used to = become accustomed

You are in the process of adapting, or you adapted over time.

• I’m getting used to waking up early.
  = It is still a change for me, but it is becoming easier.

That little difference changes the whole meaning.

Used to + bare infinitive

Now let us look at the third structure, which is completely different.

Form:

used to + base verb

Meaning:

This structure talks about past habits or past states that are no longer true now.

Examples:

• I used to be the best at English in my class.
• Did you use to eat a lot of chocolate when you were younger?
• Sheila didn’t use to clean her house much, but now she does.
• We used to live in a small flat before we bought this house.
• People used to write letters instead of emails.

Important point:

This structure is only used for the past.

It does not mean “be accustomed to” or “become accustomed to”.

Compare:

• I’m used to cold weather.
  = Cold weather is normal for me.
• I used to live in Scotland.
  = I lived in Scotland in the past, but not now.

Easy to mix up, yes. Identical twins at first glance, but with very different personalities.

Be used to and get used to are followed by -ing or a noun

This is one of the most important grammar points in the lesson.

Because to in these expressions is a preposition, it is followed by:

• a noun
• a pronoun
• a verb + -ing

Correct:

• I’m used to the noise.
• She’s used to him.
• We’re used to working under pressure.
• He is getting used to driving in the city.

Incorrect:

• I’m used to work under pressure.
• She got used to live alone.

Those are wrong because after be used to and get used to, we need -ing, not the infinitive.

Common mistakes learners make – be used to vs get used to

1. Using the infinitive after be used to or get used to

❌ I’m used to wake up early.

✅ I’m used to waking up early.

❌ She got used to live abroad.

✅ She got used to living abroad.

2. Confusing be used to with used to

❌ I used to cold weather.

✅ I’m used to cold weather.

❌ I am used to live near the station.

✅ I used to live near the station.

3. Using get used to when the situation is already normal

❌ I get used to this job now.

✅ I’m used to this job now.

4. Forgetting that used to talks only about the past

❌ I use to play tennis every day now.

✅ I used to play tennis every day.

✅ I play tennis every day now.

Compare the structures

Here is the difference in a simple way:

be used to	be accustomed to	be + used to + noun / -ing	I’m used to cold weather.
get used to	become accustomed to	get + used to + noun / -ing	I’m getting used to my new job.
used to	past habit or state	used to + base verb	I used to play football every day.

More example pairs

These pairs make the difference even clearer.

Be used to / get used to

• I’m used to the early mornings.
  = Early mornings are normal for me now.
• I’m getting used to the early mornings.
  = They are still becoming normal.

Used to / be used to

• I used to work in a bank.
  = I worked in a bank in the past.
• I’m used to working in a bank.
  = Working in a bank feels normal to me.

Used to / get used to

• She used to live alone.
  = That was her past situation.
• She is getting used to living alone.
  = She is adapting to it now.

Quick summary – be used to vs get used to

Use be used to when something already feels normal.

Use get used to when you are talking about the process of adapting.

Use used to + verb for past habits and past states that are no longer true.

Remember:

• I’m used to it. = It feels normal now.
• I’m getting used to it. = It is becoming normal.
• I used to do it. = I did it in the past.

Final thoughts

The structures be used to vs get used to are common in everyday English, so it is well worth learning the difference properly. Once you understand the main idea — state, process, and past habit — everything becomes much easier.

A good way to remember it is this:

• be used to = already comfortable
• get used to = becoming comfortable
• used to = past only

Practise be used to vs get used to in full sentences, and you will soon get used to using them correctly.

Be Used To vs Get Used To: Clear grammar practice with mixed exercises and answer key PDF

FAQ 

What is the difference between be used to vs get used to?
Be used to means you are already accustomed to something, while get used to describes the process of becoming accustomed to it.

Is be used to followed by -ing?
Yes. Be used to is followed by a noun, pronoun, or verb + -ing form.

Is get used to followed by -ing?
Yes. Get used to is also followed by a noun, pronoun, or verb + -ing form.

What does used to mean on its own?
Used to + verb describes a past habit or state that is no longer true now.

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Indefinite Pronouns in English

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