Get in meaning
Get in means to enter a car, a taxi, a building or a small space. It can also mean to arrive home, at work, or at a station or airport.
get in
get in · got · getting
Get in, I’ll drive you to the station.
Get in meanings and examples
4 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
-
1
Enter a car, a taxi, a building or a small space
get in
- Get in, I’ll drive you to the station.
- She got in the taxi and shut the door.
- The window was open, so the cat got in.
-
2
Arrive home, at work, or at a station or airport
get in
- What time does your train get in?
- I didn’t get in until midnight last night.
- He usually gets in to the office at nine.
-
3
Be accepted by a school, university, team or club
get in
- She tried out for the team and got in!
- Did your son get in at that school?
- Don’t worry if you don’t get in this year.
-
4
Buy food or drink so you have enough at home
get something in
- We need to get some milk in before Monday.
- Have you got in enough snacks for the party?
- There’s no bread. I’ll get some in later.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use get in in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is get in separable?
In most meanings get in has no object: Get in! We got in late. For a car, you can add it: get in the car. Get something in (buy a supply) is separable: get some milk in.
When you name the place in writing, get into is more usual: She got into the car. Get in on its own, with no place, is very common in speech: Get in!
Verb tenses for get in
| Present | I get in · she gets in |
|---|---|
| Past | got in |
| Present perfect | have got in (US: have gotten in) |
| -ing form | getting in |
Common mistakes with get in
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: We got in the bus outside the hotel.
Right: We got on the bus outside the hotel.
For buses and trains, use get on.
Wrong: Our flight gets in London at six.
Right: Our flight gets into London at six.
When you name the city, use get into or arrive in.
Wrong: I got in the university I wanted.
Right: I got into the university I wanted.
When you name the school, use get into.
Synonyms and opposites of get in
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- get intothe same idea, used when you name the place or school
- come inenter a room or house, often when someone invites you
- arrivethe general word for meaning 2
Get in quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
-
1The taxi’s here. ___, quick!
For a car or taxi, say get in.
-
2Choose the right sentence.
Here get in means arrive and has no object.
-
3Maya applied to art school and she got in. What happened?
Get in can mean be accepted by a school.
More phrasal verbs with get
All phrasal verbs with get, by level, with an exercise
19 phrasal verbs start with get. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- get upA1get out of bed after you sleep
- get onA2go onto a bus, train, plane, boat or bike
- get offA2leave a bus, train, plane, boat or bike
- get backA2return home or to a place where you were before
- get outA2leave a car, a room or a building
- get intoA2go inside a car, a building or a small space
- get overB1feel better after an illness
- get alongB1like each other and be friendly
- get aroundB1travel or move from place to place
- get togetherB1meet other people, usually to spend time together
- get byB2manage to live or do something with just enough money, skill or help
- get throughB2pass an exam or reach the next stage of a competition
- get awayB2escape from a person or a place
- get away withB2do something wrong and not be punished for it
- get aheadB2be successful in your job or in life
- get on withB2start or continue doing something, especially work, after a pause
- get out ofB2avoid doing something you should do, often with an excuse
- get down toB2start doing something seriously and with full attention
Get in FAQ
Questions people ask about get in.
What does get in touch mean?
It means contact someone by phone, email or message. Get in touch when you’re in town!
What does get in the way mean?
It means stop something from happening or make it harder. Don’t let work get in the way of your sleep.
What is the past tense of get in?
Got in. In US English the past participle is often gotten in: Has she gotten in yet?
Use get in in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.