used to and would; be used to and get used to
used to እና would፤ be used to እና get used to
used to + verb (and would) for past habits and states that are not true now: I used to live in Addis. be / get used to + noun or -ing means be / become familiar with something: I'm used to working nights.
used to + verb: past habits and states
used to + base verb talks about something that was true or happened regularly in the past, but is not true now. I used to take the bus (now I drive). She used to be shy (now she isn't). It is close to Amharic እሄድ ነበር / ዓይናፋር ነበረች. The form never changes for the person, and there is no present form: for present habits use the present simple with usually.
In Amharic
used to + መሠረታዊ ግሥ በፊት እውነት ስለነበረ ወይም በየጊዜው ይሆን ስለነበረ፣ አሁን ግን እውነት ስላልሆነ ነገር ይናገራል። I used to take the bus (አሁን እነዳለሁ)። She used to be shy (አሁን አይደለችም)። ከአማርኛው "እሄድ ነበር" / "ዓይናፋር ነበረች" ጋር ይቀራረባል። ቅርጹ ለሰው አይለወጥም፤ የአሁን ቅርጽም የለውም፦ ለአሁን ልማድ የአሁን ቀላልን ከ usually ጋር ይጠቀሙ።
| All persons | |
|---|---|
| + | I / she / they used to work nights. |
| − | I / she / they didn't use to work nights. |
| ? | Did you / she / they use to work nights? |
| short answers | Yes, I did. / No, I didn't. |
- After did / didn't, write use to (no d): Did you use to…? I didn't use to…
- used to is pronounced /juːstə/, with an s sound, not a z.
- used to is not used for one action or with a number of times: I went there three times (not I used to go there three times).
- I used to sell coffee at the Merkato when I was young.
- We used to live in an apartment, but now we have a house.
- My father didn't use to cook, but now he makes great shiro.
- Did you use to play football in Ethiopia?
- There used to be a gas station on this corner.
would for past habits
would + verb can also describe repeated actions in the past, often in stories and memories: Every Sunday, my grandmother would make coffee for the neighbours. But would is only for actions, not states: I used to have long hair (not I would have long hair). Usually a story starts with used to and continues with would.
In Amharic
would + ግሥም በፊት የተደጋገሙ ድርጊቶችን ሊገልጽ ይችላል፤ ብዙ ጊዜ በታሪክና በትዝታ ውስጥ፦ Every Sunday, my grandmother would make coffee for the neighbours። ነገር ግን would ለድርጊቶች ብቻ ነው፤ ለሁኔታዎች አይደለም፦ I used to have long hair (I would have long hair አይደለም)። ብዙ ጊዜ ታሪክ በ used to ይጀምርና በ would ይቀጥላል።
| used to | would | |
|---|---|---|
| Repeated actions | We used to walk to school. | We would walk to school. |
| States (be, have, live, like, know) | I used to live in Gondar. | ✗ (not I would live in Gondar) |
- would for habits needs a clear past time context; alone it can sound like a conditional.
- When I was a kid, we used to visit my uncle every summer. We would swim in the river and eat mangoes all day.
- My mother would wake us up at six for school.
- I used to like spicy food, but now my stomach can't take it.
be used to and get used to
These are different. be used to + noun / -ing = something is normal for you, not strange anymore: I'm used to the heat (it doesn't bother me). get used to + noun / -ing = become familiar with something, slowly: It took me a year to get used to driving on the freeway. After to here, use -ing, not the base verb: I'm used to working nights (not I'm used to work nights). Amharic: ለምጄዋለሁ (I'm used to it) / እየለመድኩ ነው (I'm getting used to it).
In Amharic
እነዚህ የተለያዩ ናቸው። be used to + ስም / -ing = አንድ ነገር ለእርስዎ የተለመደ ነው፣ ከአሁን በኋላ እንግዳ አይደለም፦ I'm used to the heat (አያስቸግረኝም)። get used to + ስም / -ing = ቀስ በቀስ ከአንድ ነገር ጋር መላመድ፦ It took me a year to get used to driving on the freeway። እዚህ ከ to በኋላ መሠረታዊ ግሥ ሳይሆን -ing ይገባል፦ I'm used to working nights (I'm used to work nights አይደለም)። በአማርኛ፦ "ለምጄዋለሁ" (I'm used to it) / "እየለመድኩ ነው" (I'm getting used to it)።
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| used to + verb | past habit, not now | I used to work nights. (Now I don't.) |
| be used to + noun / -ing | it's normal for me | I'm used to working nights. (It's not hard.) |
| get used to + noun / -ing | it's becoming normal | I'm getting used to working nights. |
- be / get used to works in any tense: I wasn't used to the cold. You'll get used to it. I've got used to it.
- At first the Las Vegas heat was terrible, but now I'm used to it.
- My kids are used to speaking English at school and Amharic at home.
- Don't worry about the new job. You'll get used to it.
- I'm still getting used to the American system of measurements.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I used to live in Addis. | In the positive, write used to (with d). | |
| Did you use to work there? | After did, use to (no d). | |
| I'm used to working nights. | be used to + -ing (to is a preposition here). | |
| I used to live in Denver. | A past state that's not true now: used to + verb, no am. | |
| I used to have a big dog when I was a child. | would is not used for states (have = own). | |
| I went to Seattle twice. | With a number of times, use the past simple. |
Practice
Each answer is checked as you go, with the reason. Nothing here is saved.
I ___ smoke, but I stopped five years ago.
Did you ___ to live in Washington, D.C.? (one word)
I've worked nights for years. I'm used to ___ late.
Which is wrong?
The heat was hard at first, but I'm ___ used to it now. (one word: becoming)
“I used to work at the airport.” Do I work there now?
My father ___ use to cook, but now he does. (short form)
There ___ a park here, but they built apartments.
It took me months to ___ used to driving on the freeway.
Every Sunday, my grandmother ___ make coffee for the whole street.
Correct it: “I'm used to wake up early.” → I'm used to ___ up early. (one word)