A word or phrase describing feeling bad about something changing after you've become used to it

Question

We say: "I got used to it" when we know that something has always happened the same way and I'm agree with that. That's correct, right?

If there's a situation where you've gotten used to something from a while, but things have changed and now you regret letting it happen. Or you just feel sad because of it.

For example:

Since I was young, my mother always washed and ironed my shirts. Now, I'm far from home, I don't know how to do it and I'm having problems because of it. I __________.

Other:

For a few years, Jane always drove me to work. She resigned last week and has a different job. Now, I have to go alone and I can't get used to it. I ___________.

In Spanish we say: "Yo me mal acostumbré". A literal (and I'm sure, wrong) translation would be "I bad get used to it".

What is the right way to say it please?

Answer 1

Yo me mal acostumbré

It sounds like you are trying to express regret (and you mentioned this in the post) from getting used to the activity.

So I would say

1. I regret getting used to (Jane driving me to work.)/(my mom doing my laundry.)

It's a little unwieldy but I would honestly say this. (I have probably said this in the past).

I think two alternatives would be something like

2. I got too used to (Jane driving me to work.)/(my mom doing my laundry.)
3. I got too comfortable having (Jane drive me to work.)/(my mom do my laundry.)

I believe these to imply regret.

We can also use should to imply regret.

4. I should have (learned to drive (myself)/(alone) to work.)/(learned to do my own laundry.)
5. I should have gotten used to (driving (myself)/(alone) to work.)/(doing my own laundry.)

You could also simply say

6. I shouldn't have gotten used to it.

Where it refers to Jane driving you, or mom doing the laundry.

Answer 2

1. I took it for granted.
2. I grew accustomed to it. (thanks ColleenV)

I think 1. is the best translation: it implies regret; see definition 2 in the Wikitionary entry. Grow accustomed to also implies regret, if the thing you were accustomed to was positive.

Edit 1: Assignment of Blame

To me each expression means something similar, but they vary in how much you are blaming yourself.

• I miss it is very neutral. You might even use this when someone else is to blame, but it's not implied.
• I grew accustomed to it means I enjoyed it while it lasted. It's quite neutral, with only a little regret/self blame.
• I took it for granted means I regret that it ended. There is regret here, and in some contexts it implies that you blame yourself.
• I shouldn't have gotten used to it means I regret getting used to it. This is definitely blaming yourself for the way you feel now.

I took it for granted works best in your example sentences. I shouldn't have gotten used to it may be a closer translation of Yo me mal acostumbré, but I'm not sure because I don't speak Spanish.

To take for granted is quite commonly used. You can use it to make an accusation and assign blame to someone else: You took it for granted. You can also use it to give a warning: You shouldn't take her for granted.

Answer 3

In your examples, you can say "I miss it" or "I miss her doing that" or "I miss her doing that for me".

Saying "I miss ..." means that you feel sad because it has changed. It does not mean that you were responsible for having let it happen.

If you want to emphasize the meaning that you should not have become used to it, then use one of the examples from Max.

Answer 4

I believe that in this context the term that best matches the Spanish example is "I was spoiled" or "she spoiled me", indicating that I missed out on something by my life being made too easy or comfortable.

Definition:

to impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence, etc.: to spoil a child by pampering him.

Perhaps even closer to your meaning: "I let her spoil me" because in "Yo me mal acostumbré" the speaker is taking responsibility for his/her previous overindulgance.

Answer 5

Hablo español, y esa frase no existe en ingles

There are two words that can be used here: miss if you long for something you no longer have, or wish if you wish that something never happened.

Using your 1st example: Since I was young, my mother always washed and ironed my shirts. Now, I'm far from home, I don't know how to do it and I'm having problems because of that it. I wish I hadn't let her do my laundry so that, now that I'm on my own,I'd know how to do it myself.

As for the rest of your post there are many errors, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Despite these minor errors, your overall meaning is clear, so you're doing well with your English studies! I will correct the errors in your post below using strikethroughs and italics to highlight them:

Let me explain, please. In English, we can say: "I got used to it" when I we [make sure not to switch between singular and plural subjects in the same sentence] know that something has always happened in the same way. And that's correct I'm ok with that, right?

If there's a situation when where you've gotten [In American English use gotten here; in British English use got] used to something from a while, and but things have changed someday and now you have regret letting it happen. Or you just feel sad because of that it.

For example:

Since I was young, my mother always washed and ironed my shirts. Now, I'm far from home, I don't know how to do it, and I'm having problems because of that it. I wish I hadn't let her do my laundry so that, now that I'm on my own,I'd know how to do it myself.

Since For a few years, Jane always drive drove me to the job work. Well, She resigned last week and has a different job. Now I have to go alone to my job and I can't get used to that it. I miss having her to drive me to work

In Spanish we say: "Yo me mal acostumbré". A literal translation will would be "I have badly *got(ten) used to it". I'm pretty sure it's a very bad translation :-P :-)

Please, What is the right way to say it please?

I used as much of your own phrasing as possible. If you have any questions, please ask.

Answer 6

Since I was young, my mother always washed and ironed my shirts. Now, I'm far from home, I don't know how to do it and I'm having problems because of that. I have to get used to doing my laundry.

and

Since a few years ago, Jane always drove me to the job. Well, she resigned the last week and has a different job. Now, I have to go alone to my job and I can't get used to that. I have to get used to getting to work by myself.

There is no implication of bad in the past activities, but they are now unavailable or unacceptable. Sometimes we say you were "taking advantage of a good situation".

Answer 7

There is a fine old English verb which is a very good fit here:

I am inured to it.

The Dictionary.com entry has:

1. to accustom to hardship, difficulty, pain, etc.; toughen or harden; habituate (usually followed by to):

In English this has almost, but not exactly, the sense of the Spanish Yo me mal acostumbré.

Answer 8

Solastalgia is a neologism that describes a form of psychic or existential distress caused by environmental change

This happens to me in World of Warcraft, when I get used to the way the game is, and then Blizzard changes things around with a new expansion. I didn't go anywhere, but the changes around me are often stressful.

Answer 9

I believe, based on the context which you provided,
that the phrase for which you are looking is "take for granted".

Google "define take for granted":
The first definition provided is:

Fail to properly appreciate (someone or something),
especially as a result of overfamiliarity.

Your examples:

• Since I was young, my mother always washed and ironed my shirts.
  Now, I'm far from home, I don't know how to do it
  and I'm having problems because of it.
  I took my mom for granted.

• For a few years, Jane always drove me to work.
  She resigned last week and has a different job.
  Now, I have to go alone and I can't get used to it.
  I took Jane for granted.

Your phrase:

Yo me mal acostumbré probably equates more fluidly to
I had become poorly accustomed in English than
I bad get used to it.

Spoiled:

Spoiled, which appears in several answers, seems extreme.
Spoiled is sometimes used "tongue in cheek" or used with hyperbole,
but that informal usage and is likely beyond the scope of your question.

Someone who has become spoiled would likely fail to appreciate
what was gone after it was gone. The realization that something was taken for granted
would be a step in the direction of becoming unspoiled.