LETS LEARN SLANG
GET has many meanings.
Today we learn the main meanings of GET and common phrasal verbs with GET.
Teacher: use → / space to move · Click Reveal only after students answer out loud.
What is slang?
Slang is informal language people use in relaxed, social situations. with friends, online, in music, series, and on the street. It’s real English, but it’s not textbook English.
Used to sound friendly, natural, and part of the group.
New slang is born on TikTok, in music & gaming. and old slang can sound funny in 2 years.
¿Qué onda? ≠ “What wave?”
What’s up? ≠ “What is above you?”
Formal vs slang
Hello, how are you?
I understand.
That is very good.
Let’s meet later.
I have to leave.
Wassup? / What’s good?
I get it. / Got it.
That’s cool. / That slaps.
Let’s hang out later.
I gotta bounce.
| Where you’ll hear slang | Examples |
|---|---|
| Movies & series | “You get what I’m saying?” · “Let’s get outta here.” |
| Music & social media | Captions, comments, memes, stories. slang lives here first. |
| Friends & street | Short, fast, reduced. exactly what Lessons 2 & 3 will teach you. |
When not to use it
• Job interviews & your boss
• Exams & formal writing
• People you just met / elders
• Serious or sensitive moments
If you’re not sure → choose the neutral version. You can never be “too polite.”
• Friends & people your age
• Chats, comments, memes
• Movies, music, gaming
• This classroom! Experiment here.
Here, mistakes are free. Outside, they’re expensive. Practice here.
Where we’re going
GET
Did you get it?
Meanings of GET + GET phrasal verbs.
Receive · understand · arrive · become · have · fetch · catch · earn…
WANNA · GONNA · GOTTA…
Basic informal words native speakers really say.
gonna, wanna, gotta, hafta, kinda, sorta, gimme, lemme, ain’t, cuz, outta…
REDUCED WORDS & N’ SOUNDS
Why natives sound so fast. and how to hear them.
Did you → Did’ja · What you → Whatcha · going to → gonna · have to → hafta
Goal of this level: Understand normal spoken English and speak in a natural way. →
What’s your favourite Spanish slang?
1. What’s your favourite slang word in Spanish?
2. What does it really mean? And literally?
3. Who can you say it to? Who can’t you?
4. Is it from Mexico? Guadalajara? Your generation?
¿Qué onda? · la neta · chido · no manches
qué padre · órale · ¡aguas! · ¿mande?
ponerse las pilas · echar la hueva*
*Class rule: we can explain strong slang, but we practise the friendly versions. Teacher decides what’s OK to repeat.
Do you know any English slang?
Say any English slang words you know. Your teacher will write them on the board.
• How do friends say hello?
• How do they say cool / friend / money / party?
• What do you hear in songs all the time?
• What do gamers / streamers say?
You probably already use: cool · chill · bro · dude · yeah · OK · bye · what’s up · hang out · no way · oh my God
Did you get it?
= I received it.
Your text, your package, your email arrived to me.
= I understand it now.
The joke, the grammar, the idea finally clicks.
Same 3 letters. Completely different ideas. GET has many meanings
One word. 8 jobs.
| # | GET means… | Quick example | En español |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Receive / obtain | I got a text from Ana. | recibir |
| 2 | Understand | I don’t get this joke. | entender / captar |
| 3 | Arrive | We got home at 11. | llegar |
| 4 | Become (+ adjective) | It’s getting cold. | ponerse / volverse |
| 5 | Have (have got) | I’ve got two brothers. | tener |
| 6 | Fetch / bring / buy | Can you get me a coffee? | traer / ir por / comprar |
| 7 | Catch | Police got him. · Get the bus. | atrapar / tomar |
| 8 | Earn / be accepted | She got the job. · He got into Harvard. | ganar / ser aceptado |
Don’t memorise the list. learn it meaning by meaning, with examples. Your example is the one you’ll remember.
Get = receive
• I got your message last night.
• She got a present for her birthday.
• Did you get my email?
Finish out loud:
“Yesterday, I got a …”
a text? a call? good news? a package?
Something comes to you → get
Get = understand
• I get it now. thanks!
• I don’t get the problem at all.
• Do you get what I mean?
Say both to a partner:
“Got it!” (= understood)
“I don’t get it.” + point to something confusing
In class you’ll say this 100 times: “Got it?”. “Got it!”
Get = arrive
• I got home at midnight.
• We got to the airport early.
• What time did you get here?
Answer your partner:
“Yesterday I got home at …”
“Today I got here at …”
get home / here / there (no to) · get to school / work / the party
Get = become
• It’s getting dark / cold / late.
• I’m getting tired / hungry / ready.
• They have to get serious about work.
Your partner guesses:
getting cold · tired · angry · ready · lost
Say: “You’re getting ___!”
A change is happening → getting + adjective
Have got = have
• I’ve got two sisters. (= I have)
• Have you got any time next week?
• How many children have you got?
Ask your partner:
“Have you got a … ?”
car · dog · big family · free time tomorrow?
US: Do you have…? is more common · UK: Have you got…?. understand both.
Get = fetch / bring
• Could you get the paper for me?
• I’ll get you a coffee. what do you want?
• Let me get the door.
Ask your partner nicely:
“Could you get me a … , please?”
water · pen · chair · menu
You go, bring/buy it, and come back → get
Get = catch
• The police got him last night.
• We got the bus at 8.
• I think I’m getting a cold.
Choose & say a sentence:
get the bus / train · get a cold · police got him
You grab it before it escapes. a person, a bus, even a cold!
Get = earn / be accepted
• How much do you get for teaching English? (= earn)
• She got an A on her final.
• My son got into Harvard! (= was accepted)
Say a dream sentence:
“I want to get into …”
“I want to get a job at …”
You worked for a result and received it → get
6 simple ones. Shout it out!
Choose the meaning of GET. Teacher clicks Reveal after the class answers.
I got a message from Ana this morning.
Sorry I’m late. I got here at 9:15.
Brr… it’s getting cold.
Do you get this grammar, or should I explain again?
I’ve got two brothers and one sister.
Could you get me a coffee, please?
GET + small word = new meaning
The small word changes everything. You can’t always guess it word-by-word.
receive / understand…
stand up / leave bed
recover from it →
Learn phrasal verbs like vocabulary, not grammar rules. Picture + example > translation list.
Meet, leave & escape
| Expression | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get up | get out of bed / stand | I get up at 6:30 on weekdays. |
| get out (of) | leave / exit; leave a business/situation | Let’s get out of here! · He got out of the taxi business. |
| get away | escape; go on a short holiday | Let’s get away for the weekend. |
| get together | meet socially | Let’s get together soon. coffee Friday? |
Recover, enter & succeed
| Expression | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get into | enter; be accepted by a school/job | She got into Harvard last month. |
| get over | recover from illness / a hard experience | How long did it take you to get over the flu? |
| get ahead | be successful, make progress | If you want to get ahead, work hard. and smart. |
| get back | return; recover something | We got back late. · I got my money back. |
What do you mean?
| Expression | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| get at | mean / try to say indirectly | What are you trying to get at? |
| get it together | organise yourself; improve your behaviour | I wish he would get it together! (= ¡ponte las pilas!) |
| get serious (about) | become serious | They have to get serious about their work. |
| get along (with) | have a good relationship | I get along with my coworkers. |
6 phrasal ones. Phrasal verbs
Let’s get together on Friday night.
She finally got over the flu after a week.
He got into his dream university.
We need to get away this weekend. beach?
What are you trying to get at? Just say it clearly.
Come on, get it together. we start in 5 minutes!
Choose the synonym closest in meaning
15 sentences. For each one, pick the word that can replace GET without changing the idea.
Don’t decide from GET alone. Use the full sentence.
Which option still makes sense in the sentence?
Be ready to say why in one short phrase.
Closest in meaning?
They got him by hacking into his smart phone.
How many children have you got?
It’s time for us to get out of the shipping business.
I’m afraid I don’t get the problem at all.
What are you trying to get at?
Questions 6 to 10
My son got into Harvard last month.
Let’s get together soon!
They have to get serious about their work.
Could you get the paper for me?
Have you got any time next week?
Questions 11 to 15
How long did it take you to get over the flu?
How much do you get for teaching English?
I wish he would get it together!
If you want to get ahead, you’ll have to work hard!
Let’s get away for the weekend.
14 more. 3 ways.
Complete with get / got / getting (or a phrasal verb).
Find the GET mistake and fix it.
Use the word/prompt. Make it true for you. those are unforgettable.
Work in pairs. Speak first, write second. Work with your partner.
Complete with GET
I a text from my boss this morning.
What time did you home last night?
It’s cold. take a jacket.
She into her dream university!
He’s still over his cold, so he’s at home.
Find & fix the mistake
I getted home very late yesterday.
Did you got my email?
I didn’t got the joke. can you explain it?
Let’s get away of the city this weekend.
Make it true for you
Say your sentence to your partner. Teacher reveals a sample. yours can be different and still perfect.
Use GET = receive. Talk about something you received this week.
Use GET HOME. What time did you get home yesterday?
Use GETTING + adjective (tired / hungry / ready / nervous / cold…).
Use GET TOGETHER. Make a real plan with your partner.
Choose ONE: GET INTO (dream school/job) · GET OVER · GET AWAY.
Now… did you get it?
“GET can mean ___ , like: ___.”
Use it in a true sentence about your life.
Example: ponerse las pilas ≈ get it together.
Homework: catch GET 3 times in a song/series/TikTok before next class. Screenshot or write the sentence.
Got it?
Cheat sheet & board plan
Answers at a glance
Practice A: 1 receive · 2 arrive · 3 become · 4 understand · 5 have · 6 fetch
Practice B: 1 meet · 2 recover · 3 be accepted · 4 escape · 5 mean · 6 organise/focus
Book 1 to 15: 1 capture · 2 have · 3 leave · 4 understand · 5 mean · 6 be accepted · 7 meet · 8 become · 9 fetch · 10 have · 11 recover from · 12 earn · 13 improve · 14 be successful · 15 escape
Final fill: 1 got · 2 get · 3 getting · 4 got · 5 getting
Final correct: 6 got (not getted) · 7 get (not got) · 8 get (not got) · 9 away from (not of)
Board plan (book pp.7 to 8)
1. Fill GET table as you teach Slides 10 to 17 (teacher examples). students add theirs in pairs.
2. Fill Phrasal Verb table during Slides 20 to 22.
3. Do p.8 in teams via Slides 25 to 27, then students mark answers in the book.
4. Collect exit tickets (Slide 32) to plan Lesson 2.
Print tip: browser Print → this page prints the active slide area best in landscape; for handouts use Slides 29 to 31 questions without revealing.