Hard time teaching "get"
 

I'm currently tutoring English to a Japanese friend of mine. However, I've recently come across a snag with teaching "get"...he is rather advanced in his english already, so I can explain to him most of the uses of "get"...however, I'm even having a hard time really trying to understand its use.....

For example....I started out by saying "get" means "to allow to" in most cases. For instance, if a boy asks his mother if he can go to the movies, then the boy will then tell his friend "I get to go to the movies".

But after thinking about it...would a better definition be "have the opportunity" to do something? As in...."I get to travel to Europe next month"...(no one "allowed" me to do it...I just have the opportunity/ability to do it).


Then thinking about it even more, "get" could have a double meaning with "change states/obtain a state"....as in these examples ->

"get married"
"get up/down/on"
"get angry"
"get rich"

not to mention even more special cases...like ->

"get along with"
"get it down" (understand something)

Anyway.....if any of you have any suggestions or even just a simple "yes mack, get has 3 different uses....to allow, to be able, and change condition"....I would appreciate it.

Re: Hard time teaching "get"
 

I would suggest explaining 'get' has many meanings and to remember this verb in particular because if you should ever 'get' stuck looking for a verb, 'get' will probably work....and then move on.

Every language has words that have many meanings; no use 'getting' held up on one word.

;)