You’ve probably noticed that the word “get” appears everywhere in English—movies, textbooks, arguments with your roommate. It’s one of the most commonly used verbs, and when paired with different prepositions, it becomes a phrasal verb that often means something entirely unrelated to the original verb. Delightful.
This blog post will help you learn phrasal verbs with “get” by organizing them into categories based on meaning—like movement, emotions, and relationships. Each one comes with get phrasal verbs examples, explanations, and tips to make things click. And yes, there’s a table. Don’t act surprised.
Also check out our Simple Present Tense Guide if you’re still tripping over basic verb forms.
🚶 Movement & Position Phrasal Verbs with Get
These are practical—used when you go places, get up in the morning, or fall off a chair. Happens more than you’d think.
Get up – Rise from bed or a seated position
- I usually get up at 7 AM.
- She got up quickly when the teacher called her name.
🔑 Tip: Alarm clock buzz = get up. It’s like a Pavlovian reaction at this point.
Get down – Lower yourself physically or feel depressed
- The kids got down from the tree.
- Don’t let failure get you down.
Get on / Get off – Board or leave transportation
- I got on the wrong bus today.
- We need to get off at the next stop.
🧠 Remember: You get on to start and get off when you’re over it—like most things in life.
Struggling with prepositions in these phrasal verbs? Here’s a full guide on prepositions like in, on, and at.
😕 Emotional & Mental State Phrasal Verbs
These are the ones where “get” gets into your feelings. How tender.
Get over – Recover from something (illness, heartbreak, etc.)
- She got over her fear of flying.
- It took me a month to get over that cold.
Get carried away – Become overly excited or involved
- We got carried away while shopping online.
- Try not to get carried away with the details.
Get down – Feel sad or demotivated
- This gloomy weather really gets me down.
- Exams always get her down.
💡 Tip: If it sounds emotional, it probably is.
Want more nuanced expressions? See our list of lesser-known English idioms.
🗣 Social Interaction Phrasal Verbs with Get
Let’s pretend we all love talking to other people. These will help you fake it convincingly.
Get along (with) – Have a good relationship
- They get along with their classmates.
- Do you get along with your boss?
Get together – Meet socially
- We got together for lunch.
- Let’s get together next weekend.
Get back at – Take revenge
- He got back at her for the prank.
- Don’t try to get back at people. It’s exhausting.
If you’re diving into professional communication, check out Phrasal Verbs for Business English.
📈 Progress & Life Management
These are the verbs that scream “I’m trying my best.”
Get ahead – Make progress, especially in a career or education
- She’s working hard to get ahead in her field.
- You have to work overtime to get ahead these days.
Get through – Survive or complete a tough situation
- I barely got through that Monday meeting.
- We got through the storm safely.
Get by – Manage, often with limited resources
- We get by on a small salary.
- He got by even without formal education.
🧠 Mnemonic: Think of these as the “survival mode” phrasal verbs.
📊 Quick Reference Table
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Get up | Rise from bed/seated position | I get up at 7 AM. |
| Get on | Enter transportation | She got on the train. |
| Get off | Leave transportation | He got off at the station. |
| Get over | Recover from something | She got over her cold. |
| Get along (with) | Have a good relationship | I get along with my boss. |
| Get through | Complete something difficult | I got through the meeting. |
| Get by | Manage with difficulty | We get by on a small budget. |
| Get back at | Take revenge | He got back at her with a prank. |
| Get down | Lower oneself / feel depressed | The news got me down. |
| Get ahead | Make progress | She’s trying to get ahead at work. |
🔁 How to Practice Phrasal Verbs with Get
Here’s how you can practice:
- ✍️ Start journaling: Try writing three get phrasal verbs per day in sentences.
- 📺 Watch English TV shows: Notice how often these verbs appear in casual speech.
- 🎤 Speak aloud: Practice with a mirror or say them during your daily routine.
For those learning how to structure better sentences, our post on Simple Sentences in English is a life-saver.
Want to improve paraphrasing too? Check this guide on effective rewriting techniques.
🧠 Conclusion: Don’t Let “Get” Get You
Phrasal verbs with get may look intimidating at first, but once you understand their categories and meanings, they’re actually… well, still weird, but at least more predictable.
Try using one phrasal verb from this list in a sentence today and share it in the comments!
🗨️ Which phrasal verb with get do you find most confusing?
🗨️ How do you practice phrasal verbs in your daily routine?