Here is an Example in German:
Du bist es gewohnt, jeden Tag 8 mit Menschen zu sprechen
Or
Ich bin es gewohnt viel zu reisen.
Thanks
I am not quite sure what it is you’re asking. Are you asking how to translate these kinds of phrases? Or are you asking whether American English commonly uses phrases like that?
The straight translation of “[es] gewohnt sein” is “to be used to [it]”/“to be used to [doing]”. Another way of saying the same thing is that someone does something habitually.
I’m sure you could find contexts where these are said in English, but absent any particular context, it seems a bit less common in English than in German. That may be in part because of the unique English distinction between progressive (I am doing) and simple present (I do) - the latter indicates habit or regularity, unlike in German where it is the default tense.
But without a particular context, this is all rather abstract and “from the armchair” on my part…
1 Like
We don’t.
We don’t really use any German phrases other than “gesundheit.”
3 Likes
Thank you for this detailed answer.
What I‘m actually looking for is, how you Guys use that kind of situation in American English.
You gave me a good answer with habitually and the explanation, thank you
1 Like
Ah.
An expression you may find useful is “used to.” Let’s start with this example:
I used to drink five cups of coffee every day!
Here, “used to drink” means “prior habitually drank.” This would be a past tense usage. It is the idiomatically correct way to convey this kind of idea. “I prior habitually drank,” while grammatically correct, is very awkward in its rigidity.
Here are a few more examples in past tense.
As kids, we used to play in that park a lot.
The Patriots used to be a dominant team but they’re not as strong now.
Note the construction here where the infinitive follows “used.”
Now, note that this can be expanded with past tense conjugation of “to be” before the “used” + infinitive. Consider these additional past tense examples:
He was used to getting beat up after school by the bigger boys.
She was used to helping customers select the right product.
The expression “used to” can also be used in present tense. Here are some examples:
In my job, I’m used to talking to a lot of people.
I’m used to traveling a lot.
I’m sure you’re used to dealing with difficult customers by now.
Note the construction in present tense. In present tense, it’s the subject + the conjugation of “to be” + “used” + the infinitif.
Then in future tense, examples are:
Soon, you will be used to working such long hours.
After weeks of playing guitar, you will develop callouses and your fingers will get used to it.
In the future tense, it’s the subject + “will” + “be” + “used” + the infinitive.
In addition to using conjugations of “to be,” you can also more colloquially use “get” or “got” conjugations where really “get” or “got” is standing in for “become” and “became.” (Which would be correct too but sound rather too formal for most social situations.)
Here are more examples:
He’s gotten used to how his wife treats him.
She’s getting used to the amount of homework in medical school.
You can use with more complex cases too, such as:
He had gotten used to the delivery route before they changed the schedule on him again.
By the time we get this release delivered, we will have gotten used to working every weekend.
Note that thematically many of these examples correspond to how efforts and unpleasantries build moral character, and specifically grit, as often needed to achieve an outcome.
This is how Americans say these things, such you’ve asked. Related, note how Americans and Brits do use such as “have got,” “have gotten,” and “got” differently. Or maybe I should say have used differently as these speech patterns are changing where in this one I think the Americans are having influence on younger Brits. Anyhow, there may be a difference here because “used to” can be used frequently with “got” and its related past-tense conjugations.
Finally, here’s some info on semi-auxiliaries and semi-modals in English:
Personally, I use “used to” like this and would only go to the word “habitually” if I had to add focus or heightened clarity beyond what popular usage of “used to” provides.
And finally, the use of “used to” here is quite different from the primary meaning of the word “use” pertaining to usage or consumption. Here, it’s pertaining to a meaning of acceptance, of becoming accustomed to. What we’re talking about here is being accustomed to something. In addition to “used to,” in the highest registers, one can use “accustomed to.”
Consider such as this:
The King has become accustomed to the implications of the priorities and decisions of Sussexes.
But since I’m American and you inquired about specially daily conversation:
King Charles has gotten used to the fallout Harry and Megan’s choices.
And I’ve still not gotten used to the idea of having a reality TV star as President.
1 Like
That’s exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much for that
Oh! Now I understand what you were asking! Yes, “being used to” and “used to [do]” are two entirely different expressions.
Linguistically, they work differently:
- “used to” in the sense of “gewohnt sein” takes a noun - you are used to a thing. (That is why “sich gewohnt sein, etwas zu tun” takes the -ing form: that’s how you use a verb as a noun. This is the same as saying “das Handeln”, “das Schwimmen”. So English says “Ich bin mir das Schreiben/Schwimmen/Lernen gewohnt”: “I am used to writing/swimming/learning.”)
- “used to” in the sense of “etwas früher getan haben” takes a verb - you used to do something. So: “I used to write/swim/learn/…” (“Früher schrieb/schwamm/lernte ich.”)
1 Like
You got it!
Thank you for the explanation that I could understand hundred percent.
1 Like