What Does “Get after sb” Mean?
“Get after sb” means to repeatedly tell someone to do something or to criticize them for not doing it. It often involves urging or nagging someone to take action.
Introduction
The phrase “get after sb” is a common English phrasal verb used when someone wants another person to do something, usually by reminding or encouraging them persistently. It can also mean to criticize or scold someone for their behavior. Understanding the “get after sb meaning” helps learners use it correctly in both casual and formal contexts. This expression is often used in daily conversations, especially when talking about parents encouraging children, bosses reminding employees, or friends pushing each other to complete tasks. Knowing how to use “get after sb” will improve your fluency and make your English sound more natural.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: get after somebody
- Type: transitive
- Level: B1 (Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to keep telling someone to do something or to criticize them
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Get after sb” is a transitive, inseparable phrasal verb. This means the object (sb = somebody) always comes after the phrase and cannot be placed between “get” and “after.”
- Correct: I need to get after him about his homework.
- Incorrect: I need to get him after about his homework.
Pattern: get after + somebody
How to Use “Get after sb”?
You use “get after sb” when you want to describe the act of urging someone to do something they should do but might be avoiding. It is often informal and can express mild annoyance or care. For example, parents get after their kids to clean their rooms, or managers get after employees to finish projects on time. It can also mean criticizing someone for their mistakes or behavior.
Examples
Imagine a mother reminding her son to finish his homework. She might say:
- “I keep getting after you to clean your room.”
- “The teacher gets after the students if they don’t pay attention.”
- “My boss is always getting after me to meet deadlines.”
- “She gets after her little brother when he forgets to do his chores.”
These sentences show how “get after sb” is used in everyday English.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse the word order or the meaning of “get after sb.” Here are some examples:
- Incorrect: I get my brother after to clean the garage.
- Correct: I get after my brother to clean the garage.
Also, do not use “get after” to mean “physically chase” in formal contexts; in informal speech, it can sometimes mean to physically chase someone, but the main meaning is to nag or criticize.
Differences / Synonyms
“Get after sb” is similar to “nag,” “chase,” or “pressure,” but with some differences:
- Get after sb – to urge or criticize persistently.
- Nag – to annoy someone by repeatedly asking or complaining.
- Chase – usually means physically running after someone.
- Pressure – to strongly persuade someone to do something.
While “nag” has a more negative tone, “get after sb” can be neutral or caring depending on the context.
Common Collocations
When using “get after sb,” we often mention the person or task involved. Here are common collocations:
- Get after someone about something – e.g., get after him about his homework (urge to do homework).
- Get after the kids – remind or scold children.
- Get after employees – ask workers to complete tasks.
- Get after a problem – deal with or address an issue.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of get after sb:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “get after sb”:
Anna: Have you talked to Tom about the report?
Ben: Yes, but I have to keep getting after him. He keeps forgetting the deadline.
Anna: Maybe you should remind him more often.
Ben: I will. I don’t want to get too annoyed, though.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “get after sb”:
- My parents always ______ me ______ finishing my homework on time.
- The manager is ______ the team ______ the project deadline.
- She keeps ______ her little brother ______ cleaning his room.
FAQs
- What does “get after sb” mean?
It means to repeatedly tell or urge someone to do something or to criticize them.
- Is “get after sb” formal or informal?
It is mostly informal and used in everyday conversation.
- Can “get after sb” mean physically chasing someone?
Sometimes in informal speech, but usually it means nagging or urging.
- Is “get after sb” separable?
No, the object always comes after the entire phrasal verb.
- What are similar phrases to “get after sb”?
Similar phrases include “nag,” “pressure,” and “keep on someone.”
