Phrasal Verbs with “get”
"Get" forms more phrasal verbs than almost any other English verb — and the meaning changes completely with each little word after it. Here are the most common ones, each with a plain meaning and an example.
Tip
The same base verb, "get," changes meaning entirely with each particle — learn them as whole units, not word by word.
12 phrasal verbs with “get”
get up
to rise from bed, or to stand up.
“I get up at seven every morning.”
get on
to enter a bus, train, or plane; or to make progress.
“We got on the train just in time.”
get off
to leave a bus, train, or plane.
“Get off at the next stop.”
get over
to recover from an illness, shock, or problem.
“It took her weeks to get over the flu.”
get by
to manage or survive, often with just enough.
“We can get by on very little money.”
get along
to have a friendly relationship with someone.
“I get along well with my colleagues.”
get away
to escape, or to take a short holiday.
“They got away for the weekend.”
get back
to return, or to receive something again.
“What time did you get back last night?”
get out
to leave or escape from a place.
“Let's get out of here.”
get through
to finish something; to survive a hard time; or to reach someone by phone.
“I couldn't get through to her all day.”
get up to
to do something, often mischief.
“What have the kids been getting up to?”
get around
to travel or move from place to place.
“It's easy to get around the city by bike.”
Frequently asked
Why does "get" have so many phrasal verbs?
"Get" is one of the most flexible verbs in English, so it combines with many particles (up, on, over, by…). Each combination is its own expression with its own meaning — "get up" (rise) has nothing to do with "get over" (recover).
Is "get" too informal?
In very formal writing you might prefer "rise," "recover," or "manage," but in everyday English these phrasal verbs are completely natural and extremely common.