The Expression

the expression for this week is “get the picture.” It is connected with using the word “get” to mean “understand.”

The Meaning

“Get the picture” means to understand something. It usually means to understand an idea, concept, or a situation.

How do we use it

We use this expression to ask if someone understands what we are explaining. We also use it to emphasize that we think someone understands. When we are asking if someone gets the picture, we can use this expression as it’s own sentence.

Easy Examples

Here are some examples of using “get the picture.”

I don’t want to own any more credit cards and I never will. Get the picture. (The unspoken idea is “So stop calling me.”)

Sometimes my students get the picture quickly when I explain a grammar point.

I could give more examples, but I think you get the picture.

Special Notes

I need to make 2 special notes about this expression. First, you should be careful about your tone when you use this expression to ask if someone gets the picture. If you say it with an angry tone, it sounds very rude. This is also true if you ask this question of someone who is much older than you or someone who is your boss. Look at my second example, and you will get the picture. The second special note is that you must be careful about the context. Sometimes “get the picture is used to talk about photography. I have just checked Google and this expression is used in the names of several photography-related companies. So in some cases, “get the picture” really talks about pictures.

Your Turn

Do you get the picture of how to use this expression? Leave a comment with your own examples below. And you can also watch the video if you want to practice listening to and repeating the expression.