What does "get on with" mean?

The phrasal verb "get on with" is one of those flexible expressions that changes meaning depending on what follows it. Learners often meet it for the first time in conversation and feel confused, because the same two words can describe a friendship or a to-do list. Once you know the trick for telling them apart, it becomes easy to use naturally.

"Do you get on with your boss?" = Do you have a good relationship with your boss?
"We've always got on really well."
"They don't get on, there's tension whenever they're in the same room."

Here are a few more examples to show the range:
"She gets on with everyone in the office, she's really easy to work with."
"I didn't get on with my flatmate at first, but now we're good friends."
"How do you get on with your in-laws?"

Notice that you can add adverbs like "well", "really well", or "brilliantly" to say how strong the relationship is. You can also make it negative to describe conflict, as in "They just don't get on."

"I need to get on with this report." = I need to continue working on this.
"Stop distracting me and let me get on with it."

A few more examples in this sense:
"Right, I'd better get on with the cooking or dinner will be late."
"Let's stop chatting and get on with the meeting."
"He got on with his homework without complaining."

In this meaning, "get on with it" often carries a slight sense of urgency or impatience, a nudge to stop wasting time and make progress.

If there's a person as the object, it's about the relationship. If there's a task as the object (or "it"), it's about continuing.

So "I get on with Sarah" is about friendship, while "I get on with the work" is about carrying on. The word "it" can point either way, so listen to context. If someone says "Just get on with it" while you're procrastinating, they clearly mean the task.

Students sometimes say "I get on well my boss" and forget the word "with". The preposition is essential in the relationship meaning. Always keep "get on WITH someone". Another frequent slip is using it for a first meeting, but "get on with" describes an ongoing relationship, not a single introduction. You would not say "I got on with him when we met", you would say "We hit it off when we met" instead.

Picture two people sitting comfortably ON the same bus, travelling along together in harmony. If they "get on" nicely, the journey is pleasant. That same image of moving forward together also helps you remember the second meaning, since getting on with a task means moving forward with it.

Meaning 1 is distinctly British. Americans say "get along with", as in "Do you get along with your boss?" Both meanings 1 and 2 are well understood in American English but "get on with" sounds British.

In a British workplace you might hear "Do you get on with the new manager?" whereas an American colleague would more likely ask "Do you get along with the new manager?" In casual British chat, "We get on great" is completely natural. If you want your English to sound British, use "get on with"; if you're aiming for an American style, "get along with" is the safer choice for relationships.

Worth knowing is "get on" on its own, without "with", which can mean to make progress or to succeed, as in "How are you getting on?" This is a friendly British way of asking how things are going for you, whether at work, in a new city, or with a project. The reply might be "I'm getting on fine, thanks."