get together
2 meanings
meet with friends or family to spend time together
What does "get together" mean in this sense?
Examples
- We should get together for drinks sometime — it's been ages!
- The whole family got together at my aunt's house last Christmas.
- I'd love to get together with you and Sarah before you leave.
How to use it
The most common pattern — use 'with' to mention who you are meeting, since the verb has no direct object.
I'd love to get together with you and the rest of the team before the holidays.
Use 'for' to say what the social occasion is, such as a meal, drinks, or a celebration.
We got together for dinner at Marco's place last Friday.
Use 'to + verb' to explain the purpose of the meeting.
The whole group got together to celebrate Yuki's promotion.
These constructions are very natural for making social suggestions or invitations.
We should get together over the weekend — it's been too long!
Add a time expression to make the suggestion sound more concrete and less vague.
Why don't we get together sometime next week for lunch?
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
This verb has no direct object, so you cannot put a person directly after 'together'. Always use 'with' to mention who you are meeting.
'Get together' can also mean to start a romantic relationship, so be careful with context. To make the social meaning clear, add a group, a time, or an activity — for example, 'get together for coffee' or 'the whole family got together'.
When you use 'get-together' as a noun, it should always be hyphenated. Without the hyphen, it looks like a mistake.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written casual English worldwide, but 'meet up' is often preferred in British English. The noun form 'get-together' (hyphenated) is very useful and means an informal social event.
start a romantic relationship with someone
Sense 2: What does "get together" mean?
Examples
- They got together after working on the same project for six months.
- When did you and Sam get together? Was it at university?
- She got together with her best friend last year — nobody saw it coming.
How to use it
The most common pattern uses a plural subject to describe two people starting a relationship together.
They got together at university and have been inseparable ever since.
Use 'with + person' when only one person is the subject and you want to name the other person in the relationship.
She got together with a guy she met while travelling in Spain.
Adverbs like 'finally', 'eventually', and 'unexpectedly' are very commonly used to add detail about how or when the relationship started.
After years of being close friends, they finally got together last summer.
It is natural to add when or where the relationship began using a time or place phrase.
My parents got together on holiday in Italy — they've told the story a hundred times.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
This phrasal verb is intransitive in this sense, meaning it never takes a direct object. To name the other person, use 'with' instead.
'Get together' can also mean to meet up as friends or a group, which has nothing to do with romance. Make sure the context makes the romantic meaning clear — for example, by mentioning that they became a couple or using romantic language around it.
'Get together' describes the moment a relationship started, not the current state. For an ongoing relationship, use 'go out with' or 'be together' instead.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral to informal and is especially common in British English. Use it to describe the moment a romantic relationship began, not the ongoing state — for the ongoing state, say 'they're going out' or 'they're together'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'get together' in the present continuous — like 'we are getting together right now'?
It sounds a little unnatural to use the present continuous for a gathering that is already happening. It's much more common in the past simple ('we got together last night'), the present perfect ('we've been getting together every month'), or in suggestions ('let's get together soon'). If you want to talk about a plan, use the future: 'We're going to get together on Saturday.'
Is 'get together' more American than British?
'Get together' is understood and used everywhere, but it is slightly more common in American and Australian English. In British English, 'meet up' is often the more natural choice in the same situations. Both are correct and widely understood, so don't worry about using either one.
What kinds of situations is 'get together' used for?
'Get together' works for any relaxed, informal social meeting — dinner with friends, a family celebration, drinks with colleagues, or just catching up with someone. It sounds warm and social, so it fits casual settings well. For very large or formal events, you would more likely say 'gather' or use a specific word like 'conference' or 'ceremony'.
Does 'We should get together' sound like a real invitation?
It can sound a little vague or non-committal on its own — especially in American English, where people sometimes say it without making a firm plan. To make it sound like a genuine invitation, add a specific time or activity: 'We should get together for lunch next week' is much more concrete and inviting.
How do I use 'get-together' as a noun?
Just use it like any other noun, but remember the hyphen: 'a get-together', 'a family get-together', 'a casual get-together'. For example: 'We're having a small get-together at our place on Saturday — you should come!' It always refers to an informal social event, not a formal meeting.
Does 'get together' mean they are still in the relationship?
Not necessarily. 'Get together' only describes the moment a relationship started, not whether it is still happening. To talk about an ongoing relationship, you would say something like 'they're still together' or 'they've been going out for two years'.
Can I use 'get together' in the present continuous, like 'they are getting together'?
This sounds a little unnatural for most situations. It is much more common to use the simple past ('they got together') or present perfect ('they've just got together'). The present continuous can work if you want to describe a relationship that is slowly forming, but it is rarely used this way.
What is the difference between 'get together' and 'start dating'?
'Get together' and 'start dating' are very similar in meaning and can often be used in the same situations. 'Start dating' is slightly more neutral and works well in both formal and informal English, while 'get together' is more casual and common in everyday British English.
Is 'get together' mainly British English?
It is particularly common in British English when talking about the start of a romantic relationship, and you will hear it a lot in British TV shows and everyday conversation. It is understood in other varieties of English too, but speakers of American English might more often say 'start dating' or 'get with someone' in the same situation.
Can 'get together' describe a one-night encounter or a very casual situation?
Not really — 'get together' usually suggests the beginning of a proper relationship, not a brief or one-off encounter. If you want to describe something more casual or short-lived, a different expression would be more natural.
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