Back to Blog

The Two-Word Nightmare Every Learner Faces

The Brain-Breaking Question

Kenji raised his hand during class with a frustrated look.

"Teacher, I'm confused about 'used to,'" he said.

"My textbook says 'I used to live in Tokyo.'"

"But my conversation partner said 'I'm used to living in Tokyo.'"

"Are these the same thing?"

This is the question that breaks every English learner's brain.

Same words. Completely different meanings.

And they sound almost identical when spoken quickly.

The Tiny Sound, Huge Meaning Problem

"Used to" = past habit that doesn't happen anymore

  • "I used to eat meat" = I ate meat before, but I'm vegetarian now

"Be used to" = comfortable with something (current state)

  • "I'm used to eating late" = I'm comfortable eating late, it doesn't bother me

The sound difference is microscopic.

The meaning difference is enormous.

High-Stakes Listening Examples

"I used to work late" vs "I'm used to working late"

  • First = I worked late in the past (but not anymore)
  • Second = I'm comfortable working late (current ability)

"She used to drive in Tokyo" vs "She's used to driving in Tokyo"

  • First = She drove in Tokyo before (but doesn't now)
  • Second = She's comfortable driving in Tokyo (current skill)

"We used to eatingspicy food" vs "We're used to spicy food"

  • First = We ate spicy food before (but stopped)
  • Second = We're comfortable with spicy food (current tolerance)

Missing this distinction completely changes what you understand about someone's current situation.

Why This Is Universally Challenging

Most languages don't make this specific distinction between past habits and current comfort levels.

The phrases sound nearly identical in fast speech:

  • "used to" /juːstə/
  • "'m used to" /məjuːstə/

Many learners focus on the main words "used to" and miss the tiny "be" verb that changes everything.

Context doesn't always clarify which meaning is intended.

Common Misunderstanding Disasters

Real examples from my classroom:

Yuki's confusion: "My host family said they're used to foreign students. I thought they meant they don't have foreign students anymore!"

Takeshi's mix-up: "I told my boss I used to working overtime. He looked confused because I meant I'm comfortable with it."

Hiroshi's disaster: "I said I used to Japanese food when I meant I'm used to it. My date thought I was on a diet!"

Each mistake created completely wrong impressions.

To native ears, these sound like contradictory or confusing statements.

The Listening Strategy

The key is power listening for the abbreviated "be" verbs.

Listen for the tiny sounds:

  • "I'm used to..." (I + am = current comfort)
  • "You're used to..." (You + are = current comfort)
  • "She's used to..." (She + is = current comfort)
  • "I used to..." (No "be" verb = past habit)

Important: There's usually no change in rhythm here.

The "be" verb is contracted and quick, but it's the crucial difference.

Pattern recognition:

  • "Be" verb + used to = comfortable with
  • No "be" verb + used to = past habit

Train your ear to catch these tiny contracted forms in natural speech rhythm.

Recognition Exercise: Habit vs Comfort

Listen to these pairs. Is the speaker talking about a past habit or current comfort?

Pair 1:

  • "I used to spicy food when I lived in Thailand."
  • "I'm used to spicy food from living in Thailand."

Pair 2:

  • "She used to get up early for work."
  • "She's used to getting up early for work."

Pair 3:

  • "We used to the noise from the construction."
  • "We're used to the noise from the construction."

First sentences = past habits Second sentences = current comfort levels

Practice with The Less Said Podcast

These podcast episodes contain both "used to" patterns:

  • Breakfast Foods
  • Troubleshooting a Slow Computer
  • Discussing Natto: An Acquired Taste
  • Breakfast Conversations and Salsa Secrets

Power listening technique:

  1. Listen specifically for contracted "be" verbs before "used to"
  2. Notice the rhythm stays the same despite the contraction
  3. Practice identifying habit vs comfort patterns
  4. Drill recognition until automatic

Remember:

"Used to" = past habit (no longer happens) "Be used to" = current comfort (ongoing state)

The difference is in tiny contracted "be" verbs that don't change the rhythm.

Power listening for these contractions will unlock this common confusion.

Monday, we'll tackle another listening challenge that trips up learners worldwide!