Finn:  Hello, I'm Finn. 

Using chopsticks can take some getting used to

 
Feifei:  大家好，我们冯菲菲。
 
Finn:  And you're listening to Question and Answer of the Week.
 
Feifei:  《你问我答》- 你提问，我们回答！
 
Finn:  This week's question was sent in by Kate from Guangdong.
 
Insert
 
I would like to know the difference between used to and be used to.
 
 
Feifei:  听懂这个问题了吗？ Kate 想知道 used to 和 be used to这两个短语的区别。 
 
Finn:  Indeed and that is a very good question. Used to and to be used to. The two phrases look similar, but they mean quite different things. So first, let's give a quick explanation of the two phrases in Chinese, then we'll look at more examples. Feifei, 那就麻烦你了!
 
Feifei:  不客气啦! 首先来看看used to – 过去常常，我们用这个短语来表示我们过去常常做的一件事情，比方说：
 
Finn:  I used to go to gym three times a week.
 
Feifei:  And now?
 
Finn:  Hmm, maybe once a week!
 
Feifei:  You're awful. Used to 也就是过去常常。我们再来看另一个短语to be used to 习惯于什么或习惯作某事。在这里动词  to be 非常重要。 
 
Finn:  It is. So, for example, I'm used to eating Chinese food, and you're used to it, Feifei, of course.
 
Feifei:  动词to be 有过去式，也有将来式。 
 
 
Finn:  So, I was used to it, I will be used to it soon.
 
Feifei:  还有一个非常重要的语法点就是短语used to后面动词的形式，那我们来比较下面Finn 说的这两句话：
 
Finn:  I used to live in Berlin.   I'm used to waking up early.
 
Feifei:  通常在used to 后面我们使用动词的一般现在式，而我们在 be used to 后面要接名词或动名词，动名词也就是动词的  ing形式。 
 
Finn:  I used to live in Berlin.   I'm used to waking up early. 你相信吗？
 
Feifei:  不相信。还有一个很接近的短语是  to get used to. 单词 get 在这里强调的是去习惯一件事情的过程。
 
Finn:  I got used to it quickly, I had to get used to it, will I ever get used to it?
 
Feifei:  你听明白了吗？现在我们就一起来听听一些伦敦人是怎么使用这些短语的。
 
Finn:  That's right, so first we're going to hear from three friends who study together in London, but all of them originally came from other places. Was there anything they had to get used to, moving to the big city?
 
Insert
 
I had to get used to the cost of living.
I had to get used to the food.
I had to get used to the rain.
 
Finn:  Rain, cost of living, the food. 下雨呀、这边生活费很贵呀、吃得也不好。其实伦敦并没有那么坏吧?
 
Feifei:  当然不是了！我们刚刚听到其中一位说搬家之后你就得去习惯新的生活to get used to 去适应新生活。
 
Finn:  Now, let's listen to the same three people again. Listen out for today's other phrase – used to.
 
Feifei:  大家都知道used to do something 就是过去常常做的一件事情，也就是现在已经不做了。
 
Insert
 
I used to smoke, but I don't do it any more.
I used to drink less alcohol, I do it more now!
I used to play some football, and now I play a lot more football.
 
Finn:  So we have someone who used to smoke, but stopped.
 
Feifei:  Someone who used to drink less, and now drinks more alcohol. 
 
Finn:  More alcohol. And someone who used to play a little football, and now plays even more. Now, I think all that's clear enough. Shall we mix things up a little bit?
 
Feifei:  Ok.
 
Finn:  Let's listen to this conversation. We'll hear the word use or use here in the phrase used to, get and be used to, and also just as the simple verb to use.
 
Feifei:  我们下面要听到的是Helen和Neil 之间的一个对话，在这个对话里他们用到了今天我们学过的所有短语。他们俩在谈论关于怎么用筷子，Helen对Neil使用筷子的技术很是称赞呢！
Insert
 
Helen:  Wow – you know how to use chopsticks!
 
Neil:  Yes, well I'm used to using them now.
 
Helen:  How?
 
Neil:  When I lived in Japan I used to use them all the time, so I got used to using them pretty quickly!
 
Helen:  Was it difficult to learn to use them?
 
Neil:  Actually it was, it did take a while to get used to chopstick – when I first got there I used to ask for a knife and fork!
 
Helen:  Well you're very good now. But can you pick up a peanut?
 
Feifei:  刚刚我们听到了很多关于  to be used to, to get used to, and used to的例子。我们一会儿再听一遍。
 
Finn:  So Feifei – I'm sure you're great at using chopsticks?
 
Feifei:  Actually funnily enough, I wasn't very good as a child so my Dad made me practise picking up peanuts till I got better. How about you Finn?
 
Finn:  Well, as I lived in Taiwan for a couple of years - I had to get used to using chopsticks pretty quickly, otherwise I think I would have starved! 我会饿死的！
 
Feifei:  是呀，食物是学习新技能的一个很好地动力。我们再来听一遍Helen 和Neil之间的对话。
 
Insert
 
Helen:  Wow – you know how to use chopsticks!
 
Neil:  Yes, well I'm used to using them now.
 
Helen:  How?
 
Neil:  When I lived in Japan I used to use them all the time, so I got used to using them pretty quickly!
 
Helen:  Was it difficult to learn to use them?
 
Neil:  Actually it was, it did take a while to get used to chopstick – when I first got there I used to ask for a knife and fork!
 
Helen:  Well you're very good now. But can you pick up a peanut?
 
Feifei:  好了，我们已经听了不少的例子了。So  Finn,  can  you  pick  up  a  peanut with chopsticks?
 
Finn:  A peanut? 我大概可以试试吧！It depends on the chopsticks – I prefer sharp wooden ones!
 
Feifei:  听起来  Finn 对自己用筷子的技术很有信心！那么我们也希望大家在听了这期节目后能轻松准确地使用 used to 和 be used to 这两个短语! 
 
Finn:  And  that's  all  for  today's  programme.  If  you  have  any  other  questions about the English language, please send them to:
 
Feifei:  questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk.
 
Finn:  And thank you to Kate for her question.
 
Kate:  Thank you for answering my question.
 
Finn:  And  as  always,  our web  address  is www.bbcchina.com.cn.    Look  forward to hearing from you soon. 
 
Feifei:  Bye bye.
 
Finn:  Bye. 

This week's question comes from Kate from Foshan in Guangdong. She wants to know the difference between 'used to' and 'be used to'.

Both are common phrases and sound quite similar but mean very different things.

1) Used to

When you say you are used to something, it means it's something you did regularly before, but don't do any more.

For example, we hear these sentences in the programme:

I used to smoke, but I don't do it any more.
I used to drink less alcohol, I do it more now!
I used to play some football, and now I play a lot more football.

2) Be used to

To be used to something is to be familiar with something.

Please notice that we use the '-ing form' of the verb after this phrase.

3) Get used to

I am used to waking up early.
He is used to eating in restaurants.

When you say you get used to something, it describes the process of becoming familiar with it.

I had to get used to the cost of living.
I had to get used to the food.
I had to get used to the rain.

If you have a question about the English language, send us an email:
questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk and don't forget to visit this page regularly to learn more about English!

Glossary 词汇

used to 过去常常

be used to 习惯于什么或习惯作某事

get used to 习惯一件事情的过程

alcohol 酒