get in
phrasal verb·5 senses·particle in
Meanings
Enter a car or building
Why “in”? A person, vehicle, message, or result reaches a place or becomes present there.
“Get in the car, we're late.”
“The firefighters got in through a back window.”
“She got in the house and shut the door.”
Arrive at a destination
“What time does your flight get in?”
“The train gets in at half past six.”
“The ferry gets in at the harbour.”
Be accepted to a school or team
Why “in”? A person, idea, effort, or item becomes part of a group, activity, or plan.
“She got in to her first-choice university.”
“He got in to the school choir.”
“Only twenty applicants got in this year.”
Buy a supply of something
Why “in”? Goods are brought inside and kept ready. You build a supply to use later.
“The gift shop got in extra umbrellas before Maya and Leo's shopping trip.”
“We need to get more milk in.”
“The cafe got extra bread in.”
Win an election
“Their party got in with a small majority.”
“The green candidate got in by ten votes.”
Common mistake
I got in the bus.
I got on the bus.
Use get in / out of for cars and taxis, but get on / off for buses, trains, and planes.
Natural collocations
The word partners “get in” most often appears with — learn the phrase, not just the verb.
Don't confuse with
Get in means enter a car or building. Get out means leave a room, car or building.
Test yourself
“Get in the car, we're late.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
get out
A contrast learners often mix up
Leave a room, car or building; Become known publicly, often by accident; Leave home to meet people or enjoy free time; Manage to escape from a situation; Remove a stain or mark from something; Produce or manage to say words; Publish or release something to the public
ask in
Same in pattern: arrival
Invite someone to enter your home
barge in
Same in pattern: arrival
Enter a place rudely without permission
blend in
Same in pattern: inclusion
Look or behave like the people around you
break in
Same in pattern: arrival
Enter a building illegally by force; Interrupt a conversation and begin speaking
bring in
Same in pattern: inclusion
Introduce someone or something into a discussion or organisation; Earn money for a person or business; Introduce a new law, system or rule; Deliver a verdict in a court
burst in
Same in pattern: arrival
Enter a place suddenly and forcefully
buy in
Same in pattern: supply
Purchase a stock of something for use later
Tell it apart
Side-by-side comparisons with the verbs learners most often confuse for “get in”.
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “get in” in Sink In
Drill “get in” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
