What is the Difference Between “Get” and “Take” in English?

“Get” and “take” are two verbs that are very commonly used in English and can have different meanings depending on the context. In most cases, the verb “take” is used when we want to indicate that we are grasping something with our hands and carrying it somewhere ourselves. In other words, performing an action. For example: He took his backpack and left the room. The verb “get” is used when we want to indicate that we are receiving something from someone else, they are giving it to us. So there is not much physical activity involved. For example: She got a present from her friend. However, many people get confused about their use. For example: You should take/get some advice from a professional. It depends on what you are trying to say.

It’s important to understand that there are cases when these words are not interchangeable (not synonyms), and the sentence will have a different meaning. For example:

• I got a new bike for my birthday. – I received a new bike as a gift for my birthday.
• You would not say: I took a new bike for my birthday. – Because that would imply you just took the bike from someone without permission ☺.

Let’s examine the verbs “get” and “take” in more detail.

“Get” – Usage in English

The verb “get” [ɡet] is one of the most versatile and common verbs in English. Its main function is to convey the idea of receiving or acquiring something. It has many meanings and functions that depend on the context and combination with other words. Let’s look at the most important ones:

• Get + noun/pronoun – Receiving something. If a noun or pronoun follows the verb get as a direct object, it usually means “receive”, “obtain”, “fetch”, “get”, “bring”, etc. For example: I got a new bike for my birthday.
• Get + the + noun – Performing an action or task. In this case, we use get + the + noun to indicate that someone has done, finished, or accomplished something. For example: He got the job finished on time. This meaning is similar to the verb “do”.
• Get + adjective – State or change of state. When an adjective follows the verb get, it usually means “become”, “change”, “feel”, etc. For example: She got angry when she saw the mess.
• Get + -ed form of verb – Undergo something. When the -ed form of a verb follows get, it usually means “become a victim of”, “undergo”, “experience”, etc. For example: He got injured in the accident.
• Get + past participle (-ed form) – Status or position. Here we use get + past participle to indicate that someone has changed their status, position, or situation. For example: She got married last year. This meaning is similar to the verb “become”.
• Get + to infinitive – Achieve something. When get is followed by the to infinitive, it usually means “achieve”, “arrive”, “force”, “persuade”, etc. For example: He got to the airport just in time.
• Get + -ing form of verb – Start something. When the -ing form follows get, it usually means “start”, “engage in”, “involve”, etc. For example: She got talking to a stranger on the bus.
• Get + phrasal verb – Various meanings. When get forms a phrasal verb with another word, it can have different meanings depending on the second word. For example: Get up, get along, get over, get into, etc.
• Get + question word – Acquire skills or information. Here we use get + question word to indicate that someone has understood, remembered, or learned something. For example: Did you get what I said? This meaning is similar to the verb “understand”.

The verb “get” is irregular, and is conjugated: get, got, got (or gotten in American English). For example: I have got an invitation to their party.

Popular phrases (expressions) from “get” in English

1. Get a Job: To find employment or start working.
   • Example: “After college, she was determined to get a job in her field.”
2. Get Married: To enter into a marriage or wedding union.
   • Example: “They’re planning to get married next spring.”
3. Get Ready: To prepare or make oneself ready for something.
   • Example: “I need to get ready for the big presentation tomorrow.”
4. Get Dark: To become or grow dark in color or lighting.
   • Example: “It starts to get dark early in the evening during the winter months.”
5. Get Angry: To become upset or annoyed.
   • Example: “He tends to get angry when things don’t go his way.”
6. Get Better: To improve or recover from an illness or condition.
   • Example: “I hope you get better soon and feel back to normal.”
7. Get Worse: To deteriorate or decline in quality or condition.
   • Example: “Unfortunately, his health seems to be getting worse.”
8. Get Lost: To become lost or disoriented.
   • Example: “I always get lost when driving in unfamiliar neighborhoods.”
9. Get Involved: To become engaged or participate in something.
   • Example: “She likes to get involved in community activities and volunteer work.”
10. Get Along: To have a harmonious or friendly relationship with someone.
    • Example: “Despite their differences, they manage to get along well.”
11. Get Upset: To become emotionally distressed or disturbed.
    • Example: “She tends to get upset easily over small things.”
12. Get Tired: To become fatigued or exhausted.
    • Example: “After hiking for hours, I started to get tired.”
13. Get Lost: To accidentally misplace or lose something.
    • Example: “I always get lost in my thoughts when I’m reading.”
14. Get Rich: To become wealthy or affluent.
    • Example: “He dreamed of inventing something that would make him get rich.”
15. Get Lost: To be separated from others or become isolated.
    • Example: “While hiking in the woods, it’s easy to get lost if you’re not careful.”

“Take” – Usage in English

The verb “take” [teɪk] is one of the most commonly used and versatile words in English. It can have different meanings and functions depending on the context and combination with other words. Here are some of them:

• Take + noun/pronoun – Take, grab, collect, receive, occupy, require, use, lead, conduct, etc. If a noun or pronoun follows take as a direct object, it usually indicates these actions. For example: She took her coat and left.
• Take + the + noun – Undergo, conduct, carry out, etc. Here we use take + the + noun to show that someone has undergone, conducted, or carried out something. For example: He took a test yesterday. This meaning is similar to the verb “do”.
• Take + adjective – Remove, deduct, worsen, etc. When an adjective follows take, it usually indicates these actions. For example: The cold weather took its toll on his health.
• Take + -ed form of verb – Undergo, conduct, carry out, etc. When the -ed form of a verb follows take, it usually indicates these actions. For example: He took a shower before going to bed.
• Take + to infinitive – Take, grab, collect, receive, occupy, require, use, lead, conduct, etc. When we say take + to infinitive, we imply that someone is using something or doing something for a purpose. For example: I took a taxi to the hotel.
• Take + preposition. When a preposition follows take, it can form various phrasal verbs with their own meanings. For example: take after, take apart, take away, take in, take off, take up, etc.
• Take + phrasal verb – Various meanings. When take forms a phrasal verb with another word, it can have different meanings depending on the second word. For example: take up, take off, take on, take over, take back, take down, take in, take out, take away, etc.

The verb take is irregular, and is conjugated: take, took, taken. For example: I have taken a shower.

Popular phrases (expressions) from “Take” in English

1. Take a Break: To pause or stop an activity for a short period of rest.
   • Example: “I need to take a break from work and recharge.”
2. Take a Chance: To risk or attempt something uncertain.
   • Example: “You never know unless you take a chance and try.”
3. Take a Look: To examine or inspect something.
   • Example: “Can you take a look at this report and see if there are any errors?”
4. Take a Seat: To sit down.
   • Example: “Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable.”
5. Take Advantage of: To make use of an opportunity or benefit.
   • Example: “You should take advantage of the holiday sales to save money.”
6. Take Care: To look after or be cautious.
   • Example: “Take care of yourself while you’re traveling.”
7. Take Control: To assume command or authority.
   • Example: “It’s time for you to take control of your own destiny.”
8. Take it Easy: To relax or calm down.
   • Example: “Don’t worry too much; just take it easy.”
9. Take Notes: To write down important information.
   • Example: “During the lecture, be sure to take notes.”
10. Take Part: To participate or be involved in something.
    • Example: “I want to take part in the school play.”
11. Take Responsibility: To accept blame or duty.
    • Example: “It’s important to take responsibility for your actions.”
12. Take a Trip: To go on a journey.
    • Example: “Let’s take a trip to the beach this weekend.”
13. Take Time: To use time wisely or be patient.
    • Example: “Take your time to make a decision.”
14. Take Turns: To alternate or share something.
    • Example: “Let’s take turns playing the game.”
15. Take Your Pick: To choose from available options.
    • Example: “You can take your pick from the menu.”

Summarizing the Key Differences

Although “get” and “take” can both generally mean acquiring or obtaining something, there are many differences between them depending on the context and usage. Try to get more practice using common phrases with these verbs – once you become familiar with the common usages, you won’t have to think about the specific rules every time. However, it’s good to remember that “get” broadly means to receive, obtain, become, understand, retrieve, arrive, etc., while “take” broadly means to take, grab, collect, receive, occupy, require, use, lead, conduct, etc.

In summary, “get” implies receiving or developing into something rather passive, while “take” implies more active effort to take possession or control. For example, you would “get a present” (receive) but “take a test” (actively do). “Get” focuses more on the end result of having something, while “take” focuses on the process of acquiring it.

There are certainly overlapping meanings, but paying attention to the broader themes can help determine when one word fits better than the other. As you gain more English experience, the distinctions will become more intuitive over time. The key is continuing to practice and expose yourself to diverse example sentences.