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I was going to somewhere by taxi in Delhi. Most of the drivers were blowing their horns, non-stop! I asked my driver, "would you please stop it? I am not in a rush." He said, "No ma'am! Because I am in a rush and the others too." I said, "it seems you have not gotten used to traffic!" He said, "No ma'am! We got used to it but now we want a change." I said, "but this non-stop loud noise is making me crazy!" He laughed and said, "Yes ma'am but please tolerate it for some hours. You will get used to it like us!"

Would you please help me to get their differences? Above story helps you to find some examples of right and wrong usages.

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  • The title is okay but it seems like another proof-reading.
    – Mistu4u
    Feb 10, 2013 at 15:42
  • You can ignore the story then answer me by your own examples to solve the problem by proofreading. It was an example to get what I mean. I made it just right now!
    – Persian Cat
    Feb 10, 2013 at 15:44
  • @Mistu4u I think the title makes clear that OP is not asking us to correct the passage but to explain the 'tenses' and constructions employed.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Feb 10, 2013 at 15:53
  • You forgot some ""s and you misspelled some words (in italics)
    – Siddhartha
    Feb 10, 2013 at 16:16

2 Answers 2

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The phrasal verb to get used to means to “get or become familiar or accustomed with through experience”, ie, to become habituated to something.

The several forms in the sample text – gotten used to, got used to, will get used to – merely show different forms of verb to get: past participle gotten, simple past got, and future will get, where will is an auxiliary expressing future tense.

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  • @StoneyB, yes, that would be better; however, I've quoted the wordnetweb link as it is, rather than as it ought to be.
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Feb 10, 2013 at 15:56
  • The same spelling "to get used to" is employed for both this phrasal verb and for an infinitive construct meaning "to employ [for some purpose]". For example, "The motorist finally got used to traffic cameras" versus "The photography equipment smuggling ring, after a lull in business, finally got used to traffic cameras".
    – supercat
    Jan 23 at 16:06
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We used to live in India earlier where the weather is mostly sunny throughout the year. So when we first reached here in London 10 years back, we felt different with the cloudy weather here, but eventually we got used to this weather.

"Get used to"- to become habituated with or accustomed to a certain system in present.

"Have gotten used to-" means the action of being habituated with has still result in present i.e. it happened in the near past.

"Got used to"- means to become used to in past. So it means the action of habituated with happened a long time ago to make it past.

"Will get used to"- means to become used to in future.

UPDATE- "Near past" or "a long ago" are sometimes too vague to account for. So like StonyB commented, consider whether or not habituation is being treated as relevant at the time of utterance.

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    You've mostly got it; but I think that "a long time ago" and "near past" are irrelevant, and may mislead a Learner. "The cold bothered me when I arrived yesterday, but I got used to it quickly." "I arrived ten years ago, and I have gotten used to the cold." The only consideration is whether or not habituation is being treated as relevant at the time of utterance.
    – StoneyB on hiatus
    Feb 10, 2013 at 16:08
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    There's an awful lot of what I suppose is "Indian English" in this answer. By my definition of "native speaker", we would never say something happened "in near past" or "a long ago".
    – FumbleFingers
    Feb 10, 2013 at 17:11
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    @user37324, I have never heard of Have used to. In the paragraph you provided, I can not see it. So I have no idea what it means. Can you provide context to test its usage?
    – Mistu4u
    Feb 10, 2013 at 17:47
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    @ShawnMooney, See FAQ
    – Mistu4u
    Feb 10, 2013 at 18:12
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    @user37324, Then don't worry. It is likely to be a wrong usage. :)
    – Mistu4u
    Feb 10, 2013 at 18:13

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