Meaning trap
get in
enter or arrive
to enter a place, vehicle, or building, or to arrive somewhere, especially after traveling.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to enter a place, vehicle, or building, or to arrive somewhere, especially after traveling.
Another meaning of 'get in' is 'be elected or accepted'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
What time did you get in last night?
I usually get in around 7 p.m. after work, so I have time to relax before dinner.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: We got in to the house at ten.
Say: We got in at ten. / got into the house at ten.
Bare 'get in' = arrive; to name the place use 'get into the house'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Get in' is the everyday verb for arriving home/somewhere; the formal version is a witness statement.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
get in + time
- late
- at ten
- early
- the car
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- get in (be elected or accepted) — Another meaning of 'get in' is 'be elected or accepted'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.