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Have Got in English: What It Means and How It's Different from Have
"Have got" means exactly the same as "have" (to possess), it just changes the structure of questions and negatives.
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
"Have got" means "to possess," just like "have." It's more common in British English and in informal speech in general: "I've got a car" means exactly the same as "I have a car."
Have got vs. have
More common in British English
"Have got" is used a lot in British English and in informal speech in general. "Have" (with do/does in questions and negatives) is more common in American English, though both forms are understood anywhere English is spoken.
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Practice have got with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Contractions are extremely common
In everyday speech, the contracted form is almost always used: "I've got," "She's got," "They've got," instead of saying "have" or "has" in full.
Common mistakes learners make
Mixing the two structures, like saying "Do you have got a car?" Have got uses its own question pattern (Have you got...?), with no do/does; if you use do/does, it has to be with have alone, no "got": "Do you have a car?"
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Frequently asked questions
What does have got mean?
It means "to possess," exactly the same as have: "I've got a car" = "I have a car."
What's the difference between have and have got?
They mean the same thing, the difference is structure: have got uses its own auxiliary in questions and negatives (Have you got...? / I haven't got...), while have uses do/does (Do you have...? / I don't have...).
How do you ask questions with have got?
By inverting have and the subject: "Have you got a car?" "Has she got a phone?"
Can you say "do you have got"?
No, that's incorrect. You either use have got with its own structure (Have you got...?) or have alone with do/does (Do you have...?), never both mixed together.
Which is more common, I've got or I have?
"I've got" is more common in British English and informal speech in general; "I have" is more common in American English, especially in questions and negatives.
Is have got only used for possession?
Mainly yes, to say what you have: "I've got two brothers." "She's got a new car."
Practice have got with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.