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Phrasal verb

What does get out mean?

Meaning: to leave a car or a place

B1

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Quick answer

Get out = to leave a car, a room or a situation. Get out of the car = leave the car. Get out! = leave now! (a strong order). Also: get something out = to take something out of a place.

Meanings of the phrasal verb

1.

to leave a car or a place

  • “Get out of the car.”

  • “I got out of bed at 7.”

  • “Get out!”

Synonyms: to leave, to exit

2.

to take something out of a place

common
  • “She got the keys out of her bag.”

Synonyms: to take out

3.

to escape from a situation

figurative
  • “I need to get out of this job.”

Word order

Separable

The object can go between the verb and the particle. With a pronoun (it, them), it always goes between.

Forms

Present Simple:
get out
Past Simple:
got out
Past participle:
got out (UK) / gotten out (US)
-ing form:
getting out

Common mistakes to avoid

Get out of (car) or get off (bus)?

A car or a taxi → get out of. A bus, a train or a bike → get off. Get off the car ❌ / Get out of the car ✓. It works like get in / get on.

Get out of bed = to leave your bed

Get out of bed = to leave your bed (the physical action). Get up = to start your day after sleeping (more general). The difference is small. Don't forget of: get out bed ❌.

Practice quiz

Question 1 / 3The Big Challenge question bank

You arrive at school by car. How does your dad tell you to leave the car?

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Frequently asked questions

What does get out mean?+

Get out has three meanings: (1) to leave a car or a place; (2) to take something out of a place; (3) to escape from a situation. As an order, it is very strong: Get out! = leave now!

What is the difference between get out and get off?+

Use get out (of) for a car or a taxi. Use get off for a bus, a train or a bike. It works like get in / get on.

Is get out separable?+

When you leave a place yourself, get out has no object. When you take something out, it is separable: get the keys out / get out the keys. With a pronoun: get them out.

What is the past simple of get out?+

Got out. I got out of the car = I left the car. Get → got → got (British English) / gotten (American English).

What does “get out of bed” mean?+

It means to leave your bed (the physical action). It is more precise than get up, which is more general. He got out of bed slowly = he left his bed slowly.

Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →