"get to a place", reach a place" and "arrive at a place"

[Lun-14]

Hi,

Do "get to a place", reach a place" and "arrive at a place" have the same meaning? If not, what is the difference?

It will take me about 1 hour to reach Sharma Jee Books Store to buy a grammar book.
It will take me about 1 hour to get to Sharma Jee Books Store to buy a grammar book.
It will take me about 1 hour to arrive at Sharma Jee Books Store to buy a grammar book.

Need your guidance,

Thanks to you

 

[se16teddy]

Reach and get to are fine. I feel they are slightly better than arrive because they focus on the goal of being in the shop where you can buy your book. Arrive focuses on the mechanics of the journey, like a railway timetable: arriving is an end in itself.

Get is more informal than the others.

 

[PaulQ]

They all have the same meaning in this context.
To reach is transitive; to get to is a phrasal verb; to arrive is intransitive.

Agreeing also with se16Teddy

 

[Lun-14]

Arrive focuses on the mechanics of the journey

se16Teddy, I am sorry, I don't understand what you mean by "mechanics of the journey". Can you explain?

 

[natkretep]

I agree that they all mean the same thing in the sentences provided. Easy examples:

I will reach home at 8 o'clock.
I will get home at 8 o'clock.

The only difference is that get is more informal than reach, but there is very little to choose between the two sentences.

I think what Teddy is trying to say that when you use arrive, your sentence gives more focus on the point of arrival, usually when you are thinking about the details of the journey itself, such as a train journey. We might say, 'I'm catching the 3 o'clock train from King's Cross this afternoon which should arrive in Cambridge at about four.' It is not wrong to say 'reach Cambridge' or 'get to Cambridge' in that sentence, but when the focus is on the journey - when it starts, when it will take place, etc, arrive seems most natural.

 

[se16teddy]

I think what Teddy is trying to say that when you use arrive, your sentence gives more focus on the point of arrival, usually when you are thinking about the details of the journey itself, such as a train journey. We might say, 'I'm catching the 3 o'clock train from King's Cross this afternoon which should arrive in Cambridge at about four.' It is not wrong to say 'reach Cambridge' or 'get to Cambridge' in that sentence, but when the focus is on the journey - when it starts, when it will take place, etc, arrive seems most natural.

 

[Anushka Athukorala]

Hello Members


I also have a question but it may not be directly related to this thread. I would like to know if I use “come” as in in the original sentence how does it differ from these words.


It will take me about 1 hour to come to Sharma Jee Books Store to buy a grammar book.

 

[velisarius]

It will take me about 1 hour to get to Sharma Jee Books Store to buy a grammar book.

You can't substitute "come to" for "get to" here, even if you are inside the store as you speak: "It takes me an hour to get to this bookstore every day".

 

[Lun-14]

If I'm outside the store, I think I can say "come to" then.

 

[RedwoodGrove]

In many English constructions there's a fairly subtle difference between verbs that indicate toward the speaker versus away from the speaker (or other person or thing). "Come to me" versus "go from me." Or, "bring it to me" versus "take it from me."

If I'm outside the store, I think I can say "come to" then.

Most times, you would not say, "I'm coming to the store." You might say it if you are having a dialogue and the implied viewpoint is of the other person (I suppose).

Hello Sara, it's me.
Hi, Jane, when are you coming here?
I'm coming at 6:00 PM.

So you would say, at 6:00, I'm getting, arriving, reaching there.

 

[Anushka Athukorala]

It will take me about 1 hour to get to Sharma Jee Books Store to buy a grammar book.

You can't substitute "come to" for "get to" here, even if you are inside the store as you speak: "It takes me an hour to get to this bookstore every day".

Hello velisarius/RedwoodGrove


Thank you for you both for the explanation but as Lun-14 said what if I’m outside the shop at the moment of speaking. Please have a look at the definition of “come” from my Longman dictionary.


Come- to move towards you or arrive at the place you are.


Can you come here for a minute?

I’ve come to see Philip.


So let’s take the same example in which Sharma is the owner of the books store and Lun is a good friend of Sharma and Lun has promised Sharma that she would come to the books store at 8.30 but since Lun hasn’t come yet Sharma decided to call her so the dialogue is as below. So could you please tell me which is the most suitable word (come/arrive/reach/get to) to use in that context?


Sharma: Hello Lun we have the book that you asked about.

Lun: It is great to hear that. Are you in the store?

Sharma: Yes I am, actually I have been waiting for you to come and get it. So are you coming?

Lun: Yes, I am already on my way and I hope I will be able to come or arrive/reach/get to the store in half an hour. So could you wait for me?

Sharma: no problem I will wait.


I am sorry about such a lengthy question.

 

[se16teddy]

You are putting a positive spin on the traffic situation: I expect to get to the store in half an hour.

 

[velisarius]

"I hope to be there in about half an hour. Can you wait for me?"

 

[Anushka Athukorala]

You are putting a positive spin on the traffic situation: I expect to get to the store in half an hour.

Hello Velisarius/Se16teddy

I am sorry about the late reply because I have been reading all the posts here from top to bottom a few times trying to understand the subtle difference among them but I think I have not yet fully understood the difference. While I was studying these 4 words (come, get to, arrive & reach) I found the definitions and examples relating to come from my “Oxford Intermediate Dictionary.”

Come

1. Definition - to move to or towards the person who is speaking or the place that somebody is talking about.

a. Come here, please.

b. Come and see what I’ve found.

c. I hope you can come to my party.

d. They are coming to stay for a week.

e. The children came running into the room.

2. Definition – to arrive somewhere or reach a particular place or time.

a. What time are you coming home?

b. Has the newspaper come yet?

c. After a few hours in the jungle, we came to a river.

d. Her hair comes down to her waist.

e. The water in the pool came up to our knees.

f. The time has come to say goodbye.

After studying the definitions and examples above I have 2 two questions to ask

1.Judging from the definitions and examples I guess Lun’s sentences

It will take me about 1 hour to arrive at/get to/ reach Sharma Jee Books Store to buy a grammar book. Fit into the second definitions of come because she is thinking about reaching that particular place.so I’m wondering why I can’t use come in place of these 3 words. However I would like your opinion and advice. I would appreciate if you could help me understand this subtle difference.

2. According to second definition both arrive & reach have been used to explain come so if I replaced come with these 3 words (arrive, get to & reach) how would it sound to your native ears?

a. What time are you arriving/getting/reaching home?

b. Has the newspaper arrived/got/reached yet?

c. After a few hours in the jungle, we arrived at/got to/reached a river.

d. Her hair comes arrives at/gets to/reaches her waist.

e.The water in the pool arrived at/got to/reached our knees.

f.The time has arrived at/got /reached to say goodbye.