English — be used to / get used to + -ing
Three structures look alike but mean different things. "be used to" and "get used to" are followed by -ing or a noun and mean "be/become accustomed to": I'm used to driving. "used to" is followed by an infinitive and describes a past habit that has stopped: I used to drive.
How it works
After "be/get used to" the verb takes -ing, because "to" here is a preposition, not part of an infinitive: I'm used to getting up early; She's getting used to the noise. After "used to" comes the bare infinitive for a discontinued past habit: We used to live in Rome. Compare I'm used to driving (I do it, it feels normal) with I used to drive (I did it before, not now).
Examples
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| I'm used to driving. | Present state: driving feels normal to me now (accustomed). |
| I used to drive. | Past habit, now stopped: I drove regularly before, but not anymore. |
| She's getting used to the cold. | Process of becoming accustomed: it is gradually becoming normal. |
| We're used to the noise. | be used to + noun: the noise no longer bothers us. |
| He'll soon get used to working nights. | Future adaptation: he will become accustomed to it. |
| There used to be a shop here. | Past state that no longer exists: there was one before. |
Good to know
Common mistake: after "be/get used to" learners drop the -ing and write the infinitive. Say I'm used to getting up early, not "I'm used to get up early". Note that "be used to" describes a state and "get used to" describes the change; only "get" can be a command: Get used to it! Do not confuse this with the passive "be used to + infinitive" meaning "be employed in order to", as in A knife is used to cut bread — that is a different structure entirely.