Get on like a house on fire means to like each other and become friends from the very first meeting. It happens when two people feel relaxed and have fun together, even though they have only just met. The image helps you remember it: the friendship grows as fast as flames spread. The idiom is informal and rather British; in American English, get along like a house on fire is more common. In an essay, replace it with get on very well.
When would you say get on like a house on fire?
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get on/along + like a house on fire; get on like a house on fire + with + person
- I was nervous about sharing a flat, but my new flatmate and I got on like a house on fire.
- The two kids got on like a house on fire and played together all afternoon.
- On my language course, I got on like a house on fire with a woman from Brazil.
What changed
First versionMy sister and her new neighbour get on like a house in fire.
RevisionMy sister and her new neighbour get on like a house on fire.
In may seem logical if you think of something “in flames”. But when something is burning, English says on fire: The kitchen is on fire. The idiom is built the same way, so in was replaced with on.
A similar expression, hit it off, describes the moment people first meet and like each other: We hit it off at once. Get on like a house on fire is about people who continue to get on very well. The opposite is get on each other's nerves, which means to annoy each other.
Your turn
Anna and Mike met at a wedding, talked all evening and soon became best friends: they ___.
Show the answer
get on like a house on fire — Anna and Mike talked all evening and became best friends, so they get on like a house on fire. Get on each other's nerves means “annoy each other”, which doesn't go with friendship.
Write about someone you quickly became friends with. Say where you met and what brought you together.
I met Lucy at a pottery class, and we got on like a house on fire because we both love bad jokes and old films.
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