Is this right? "have to=have got to=got to"

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Jun-god

#490558 Wed, 19 Mar 08 07:39 AM

Well,, yesterday, My Private english teacher said that Americans usually consider these sentences.

I have to do this.

I have got to do this.

I got to do this.(=I gotta do this)

So, "got" in last sentence is not a past of the verb "get", it is same meaning as "have" in first sentence.

I got it. = I have it. Hmm

Is this right? I think that this idea is right, but those examples sound little bit awkward.

Jun-god

Joined on Tue, Jul 17 2007

Seoul, South Korea

New Member (09)

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Verbs

Marius Hancu

#490584 Wed, 19 Mar 08 10:20 AM

Yes, they're right, but the 2nd would be most frequently seen as:

I've got to do this

[link]

You can test your expressions by searching at:

[link]

over the site of the New York Times, by searching for :

site:nytimes.com "I've got to do this"

(quotation marks are necessary)

For the past you may use:

I had got to do it.

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Expressions, Quotation Marks

Anonymous

#490672 Wed, 19 Mar 08 02:02 PM

Thank you so much!

and also thanks for the serching tip in google! Smile

that looks really helpful~!

Anonymous

Philip

#490683 Wed, 19 Mar 08 02:44 PM

I'm not fond of 'have got' in any situation, but I realize it is very common.
I have never heard "I had got to do it" meaning 'have got' in the past.

Philip

Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005

USA Pacific Northwest (Seattle)

Veteran Member (6,328)

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Cool Breeze

#490695 Wed, 19 Mar 08 03:18 PM

I got to do this is ungrammatical and should be avoided as no verb in it is in the present tense. I have got to do this is not used in the past tense and only the affirmative form is possible. In other words, I haven't got to do this is wrong.

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

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Verbs, Tenses, Present Tenses, Past Tenses

Grammar Geek

#490721 Wed, 19 Mar 08 04:53 PM

I got to do... I agree with CB. I would never say this.

Note things like "A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do" uses the contracted form of "has"

The only exception I can think of is the colloquial "Ya gotta do what you gotta do."

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,089)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

CalifJim

#490726 Wed, 19 Mar 08 05:10 PM

See Re: Gotta.

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

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"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

CalifJim

#490728 Wed, 19 Mar 08 05:18 PM

Cool Breeze
In other words, I haven't got to do this is wrong.

True, haven't got is rarely used in the obligation meaning, but it's perfectly fine in the possession meaning: I haven't got a pen.

CalifJim

Kooyeen

#490749 Wed, 19 Mar 08 06:35 PM

Jun-god
So, "got" in last sentence is not a past of the verb "get", it is same meaning as "have" in first sentence

Hi Jun-god,
yes, "got" is sometimes equivalent to "have", not only in the idiom "have got to".
I got to do it = I have to do it ---> But usually pronounced I gotta do it.
It comes from I've got to do it, without 've. Read CalifJim's post, he explained that.

The past is "had to". I don't think "had got to" is in use in American English.

Also, "got" instead of "have" can be used for possession:
Hey, look what I got.
I got no money.
What do you got? --> Waddaya got? - Watcha got?

I am not going to tell you when or where these forms are appropriate, since you said you have a private teacher... I'm sure they'll tell you about informal English. Smile

Kooyeen

Joined on Thu, Dec 22 2005

Italy

Senior Member (4,072)

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American English, Verbs, Idioms

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