1 A2 neutral
To get out of bed after sleeping.
"I usually get up at seven, but on Sundays I let myself sleep in."
inseparable
get up
A2 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To rise from bed or a seated/lying position, or to reach a certain level.
In plain English
To get out of bed or stand up from where you are sitting or lying.
What does "get up" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To stand up or rise from a seated, kneeling, or lying position.
"She got up from her chair and walked to the window."
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
(Of wind, a storm, or speed) to increase or intensify.
"The wind was getting up by the time they reached the harbour."
inseparable
4 A2 neutral
To wake and rouse someone else from sleep.
"Can you get the children up at half past seven? I have an early meeting."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move to a higher position — largely transparent.
Actually means
To get out of bed or stand up from where you are sitting or lying.
Usage tip
One of the most common and essential phrasal verbs in English. 'Get up' is used daily for the act of rising from bed. 'Get someone up' means to wake and rouse them. Also used for wind or speed increasing ('the wind got up'). Very high frequency across all English varieties.
Words that pair with "get up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
early late morning bed floor speed wind courage
How to conjugate "get up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
get up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets up
he/she/it
Past simple
got up
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten up
have + pp
-ing form
getting up
continuous
Hear "get up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "get up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "get up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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