3 ways to use HAVE GOT in English

Learning English? You have got to watch this! In this lesson, I teach two very common words and a few different ways to use them. You will learn how to use "have got" to show obligation OR possession. More importantly, I teach you which tenses each form is possible with, and how to form the negative constructions. You'll also learn some very common mistakes ESL students make using "have got". And on top of all that, I teach you a little bit of slang. You gotta check this out!

TRANSCRIPT

Hey, guys. I'm Alex. Thanks for clicking, and welcome to this lesson on "have got". So, in English, any time you have the verb: "get" in a lesson, you know you're in for a bit of a ride because there are so many different ways to use "get" in English.

Today, we're looking at "get" when combined with the verb "have". So let's look at a number of ways we can use "have got" in English.

First of all, just so you know, "have got" can be used as an emphatic form of "have to" which we already use for obligation. So, the full expression is actually: "Have got to" which is the same meaning as: "Have to", but it sounds a little more emphatic; it gives you a little more emphasis, a little more punch. So you could say: "I have to see that movie. Like, oh my goodness, I have to." It's almost an obligation. If you want to make it sound stronger, you can say: "I have got to... I've got to see that movie." And you can see here the construction is: "Have got to" and you always follow it with a base verb. Okay? So it's not: "I have got to seeing". "I've got to see", "I've got to make", "I've got to do", "I've got to play". Okay? So, instead of just saying: "Have to" for obligation, you can also use: "Have got to" which just makes it stronger.

Now, the thing about "have got to" is that there are no past or future forms for this. You cannot say: "I had got to see that movie." You cannot say: "I will have got to see that movie." You can only say, in the present: "I have got to". If you want to speak about obligation in the past, you can simply use: "Had to". Okay? So you can say: "I had to call my mom.", "I had to leave early." Not: "I had got to leave early" which doesn't make sense grammatically. Same with "will" or "going to" for the future, you can say: "You will have to do something." Not: "You will have got to." It sounds way too full in a native speaker's mouth. Sorry for that sentence; I don't know why I said that.

Now, there's also really no negative form of: "Have got to". You can't say: "I don't have got to call my mother today." You can say: "I don't have to". However, in slang, in speaking, we do say: "Don't gotta". So: "You don't gotta do that!" Which basically means: "You don't have to." So, again, the correct form is, you know: "You don't" - don't? - "You don't have to do that." If you want to sound a little bit more I guess cool or hip, you can say: "I don't gotta", "She doesn't gotta", "We don't gotta", which just means: "We don't have to", "I don't have to", "She doesn't have to". Okay? It's not an obligation.

Number two. "Have got" is also another form of the possessive: "have". So you could say, you know: "She has a big family.", "She has a big family." However, you can also say: "She has got a big family." Which has the exact same meaning. Okay? So you can say, you know: "I have a computer." Or: "I have got a computer.", "I've got a smartphone.", "I've got a nice camera.", "I've got", whatever it is you possess. Okay?

Now, finally, "have got", or: "had got", or: "will have got". Well, first of all, those are the American forms because "got" is, you know, not really correctly formed in the American English. They use the term: "got". The past participle is actually: "gotten". Getting back to this though. You can use: "Have gotten" or "have got", "had gotten" or "had got", "will have got", "will have gotten" in the present, past, and future perfect grammar forms.

[vitmatyas]

I must say one fact, Alex your teaching skill is absolutely beyond all teachers ever.. your English is so phonetic and nice to listen. You explain all matters clearly and simply.. your competitors are a gang of native speakers but with no sense to teaching

[sona]

Thank you very much. I will, from now on, start following you.

[luciapeimbert]

I truly love learning English from you!!! Your explanations are so clear and I end up understanding your difficult language!!

[a]

Your lesson was a great help to me!Thank you.

[maikao]

God bless you teacher, you are a great teacher!

[craphead]

How gotten worksOne noteworthy word is gotten: standard in the US but not in the UK.In both countries, the past tense of get isgot. In British English, the past participle is also got. But in American English, it’s more complex. Roughly: when talking about a static situation (possessing or needing) the past participle is got; when talking about a dynamic situation (acquiring or becoming) the past participle is gotten

[embrito]

I'm addicted to your lessons.  You're the best teacher in English. :)

You're great as always! Thanks for the explanation!

[alialhameedi]

Thank you Alex, you have got a better way to explain the lessons

[VIPINSINGH-piqi]

Hats off to you sir, such a great teaching skill

[JavierMedina]

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[abhishekpoddar]

I have got to watch your videos.thanks for teaching .

[shivanipalani]

This video makes absolute sense, I can't thankyou enough. Meanwhile, video was awesome, way to go!😊😊👍

[engvidAlex]

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[marciliorocha]

Hi Alex. Your English classes are great. Congratulations and thank you so much.

[powerofroses]

Thank you Alex. The lesson makes perfect sense.

[erichmora]

Perfect class teacher Alex. Thank you. Regards from Ecuador

[daniel_stahl]

Great video. I watch quite a few channels since I have many friends from other countries that ask me English questions. (I am a native English speaker) One thing I like about your videos are you speak clearly, but don't over-de-emphasize your accent. Some teachers do that which causes problems for people watching their videos.
One other thing about point 1. I wonder if we actually change it to "I've got to...' instead of "I have to...' since it is easier to slur the t in got with the t in to.
One last point for non-native English speakers. Don't use gotta. It seems like it would be simple to use, but it usually doesn't sound quite right. Plus, 'gotta' imo is less slang and more uneducated speak.

[gannasmohamed]

very helpful, i will see all your lessons INSHA ALLAH
thank you very much

[Destinationwithin]

You are the best ! So glad I found u !