Got to -ing

Question

Hi.How would you paraphrase "got to" in the sentence, "I got to talking with him"?Thanks in advance for any and all help.Best,Hiro

Khoff · Accepted Answer

It means, "(eventually) I started talking with him."

Clive · Answer

Hi

How would you paraphrase "got to" in the sentence, "I got to talking with him"?

After some time, I began to talk with him.
It's a folksy-sounding phrase that is not really part of main-line English, in my opinion.

Best wishes, Clive

CalifJim · Answer

HSSHow would you paraphrase "got to" in the sentence, "I got to talking with him"?

became involved in.
get to + -ing suggests becoming a participant in the -ing activity, becoming engaged in doing it, possibly after some resistance or delay. A common formula is Once ... got to ... -ing, ...

Once I got to thinking about it, I realized that he was right. (Once I became involved in thinking about it, ...)
Once Mary got to doing her homework, she found that it wasn't so difficult after all.
Once we got to comparing notes, we found that we had a lot in common.

A common variant is got around to -ing.
After delaying the project for years, we finally got around to fixing the kitchen floor.
CJ

Annvan · Answer

It has the feeling of, I think: "It so happened (i.e. it came about by chance) that I started talking with him."

CalifJim · Answer

Annvanso happened (i.e. it came about by chance)

Yes. I get that feeling as well.

CJ

Abil · Answer

Can it be converted to a present tense format? For example:

Once Mary get to doing her homework, she will find that it is not so difficult after all.

Thanks.

Khoff · Answer

in this example we would probably say, "Once Mary gets around to doing her homework, she will find that it is not too difficult after all." (Don't forget the "s" on "gets.")

But in a generalized present tense, you could say "Whenever I get to thinking about Paris, I get nostaligic."

Got to -ing

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