Learning Basic English Words With Simple Examples

What does “used to” mean in English?

Used to talks about the past. It means something was true before, but it is not true now. If you say, “I used to run,” it means you ran in the past, but you do not run now. It is a simple way to show a change from then to now. You can use it for habits and old facts: “I used to live in Spain” means you lived there before, but not now.

In this lesson the teacher gives a clear example: “I used to run track in high school. I used to do that. Not now.” That shows the meaning well — true in the past, not true today. You can copy the pattern: “I used to play games every day.”