The Main Difference
English has several ways to talk about habits, past experiences, and how familiar you are with different situations. Used to is for actions or states that happened regularly in the past but are no longer true. Be used to shows that something feels normal or comfortable to you now, while get used to describes the process of becoming familiar with something new or different. These forms let you talk about what changed, what feels natural, and how you adapt over time.
Used To
Used to is used to talk about habits or situations that existed in the past but are no longer true, or sometimes about things that we did not do in the past but do now. When you say something like “I used to drink coffee,” it inherently indicates both that it was a habit in the past and that it is no longer true. You do not need to add anything else for the meaning to include both past and present. For example, “I used to watch cartoons every day” shows that watching cartoons was a regular part of life in the past, but now you do not have time for that because your routine has changed. The negative form can express the opposite situation. Saying “I didn’t use to drink coffee” indicates that in the past, drinking coffee was not part of your routine, but now it is.
Used to can also refer to past states that no longer exist. For example, “There used to be a shopping mall here” implies that the mall was once present but is no longer there.
In all these cases, used to links the past and present, allowing you to express what has changed over time, whether it is a habit, an activity, or a situation.
Examples:
I used to drink a lot of Coca-Cola. I haven’t had any in the past 2-3 years. (true story!)
She used to walk to school every day when she was younger.
I used to collect stamps and marbles.
They used to have a small garden behind their house.
He didn’t use to eat vegetables, but now he includes them in every meal.
I didn’t use to enjoy reading, but lately I’ve started picking up books regularly.
There used to be a small shop on this corner, but it closed recently.
We used to visit our grandparents every weekend when we were kids.
My grandmother used to knit scarves for the whole family.
She didn’t use to like early mornings, but now she wakes up at 6 a.m. naturally.
There used to be a fountain in the park, but it was removed last year.
Be Used To
Be used to is a structure that shows someone is familiar with or accustomed to something. It expresses that a situation, activity, or condition feels normal and not difficult because of repeated experience.
The structure is formed with the verb be plus used to. The verb be changes depending on the subject and tense, while used to stays the same. For example, in the present you say “I am used to waking up early,” in the past “She was used to the noise in the city”.
Be used to can also appear with modal verbs, questions, and negatives. With a modal, the base form be is used: “He never wears warm clothes in winter. He must be used to the cold.” In questions, be moves before the subject: “Are you used to driving on the left?” In negatives, be combines with “not”: “I’m not used to spicy food.”
Examples:
I am used to waking up early for work every day.
She is not used to driving on the left side of the road.
They are used to working late hours during the week.
We were used to the hot summers in our hometown.I am used to spicy food.
They were not used to the heavy traffic and the stench of hobos when they first moved to San Francisco.
Having lived in that city for many years, she is used to the cold weather.
He must be used to waking up early, given his job schedule.
Get Used To
Get used to is a structure used to describe the process of becoming familiar or comfortable with a situation, activity, or condition. Unlike be used to, which describes a state that is already familiar, get used to emphasizes the change or adaptation over time. It focuses on the process of adjusting until something no longer feels strange or difficult.
The structure is formed with the verb get plus used to. The verb get changes according to the subject and tense: “I get used to waking up early” (present), “She got used to the noise in the city” (past), or “They will get used to the new schedule soon” (future). After used to, you can use a noun, pronoun, or verb in the -ing form: “I am getting used to spicy food” or “He got used to the traffic.”
Questions, negatives, and modals work similarly to be used to. For example: “Are you getting used to the new office?” or “She hasn’t gotten used to the early mornings yet.” With modals: “He must get used to the cold before winter arrives.”
Examples:
I am getting used to waking up early for work.
She recently moved here. She is still getting used to driving on the left side of the road.
They are getting used to the new schedule at school.
He got used to the noise in the city after a few months.
I’ve been eating hot peppers for quite a while. I haven’t got used to it yet.
If you live in California, you should get used to jumping over the homeless hippies on your way to work.
He must get used to the cold before winter arrives.
They will get used to the early mornings soon.
She got used to working late nights after a few weeks.
We are getting used to the loud neighbors in the building.