What is the difference between “come back” and “get back”? Can I use them interchangeably? — Barbara, PolandAnswer
Come back and get back can be used interchangeably in some cases, but not always.
When you mean “to return to a place after going away” you can use either one, most of the time. Below are some examples of how they are used with this meaning.
- When he got back/came back from vacation he had a nice tan.
- When you get back/come back from the store we will have dinner.
- What time do you think you will get back/come back?
When you are talking about someone returning to a place, and it is from the point of view of the person they are visiting, use come back:
- We hope you’ll come back and shop with us again soon!
- We invited them to come back and visit us whenever they’re in town.
If it is from the point of view of the person traveling, you should use go back:
- We plan to go back to that store again soon.
- I want to go back to Spain to visit our friends again next year.
