Sign in
Have and have got, part 2 of 3
Have Got in English: I've Got, She's Got, and How to Use It
Have got is another way to say have: I've got a cat, she's got a cat. The negative is haven't got, and the question is Have you got...?
The idea
What have got is
Have got is another way to say have in the present: I've got a car means I have a car. It has its own negative and question, with no do.
- Have or has, plus got. With he, she, it, use has: My aunt has got a farm.
- It is almost always contracted. In speech: I've got, she's got.
- No do in negatives or questions. Have you got a map? I haven't got a map.
When to use it
To talk about what you have now: things, family, what you look like, and what is wrong with you. These expressions go with it:
To ask
- Have you got a minute?
- Have you got change?
- Have you got time?
When something is wrong
- I've got a cold
- I've got a fever
- I've got a toothache
To say something
- I've got an idea
- I've got a question
- You've got mail
To say no
- I haven't got time
- I haven't got a clue
- We haven't got a choice
Examples
- Your family
My cousin has got twins.
- What you own
We've got an old van.
- What someone looks like
He's got green eyes.
- What is wrong
I've got a headache.
- Saying no
They haven't got a garden.
- Asking
Has she got a ticket?
How to build it
4 steps
- Start with the subjectWho has something:My sister
- Have or hasHas with he, she, it, or one person; have with the rest:My sister has
- Add got and the thingGot never changes:My sister has got a cat.
- In speech, contract itHave becomes 've and has becomes 's:She's got a cat.
Affirmative
- SubjectThey
- have / hashave
- gotgot
- complementa boat.
Negative
- SubjectHe
- haven't / hasn'thasn't
- gotgot
- complementa bike.
Question
- Have / HasHas
- subjectyour dad
- gotgot
- complementa passport
- ??
How it contracts
In speech and texts the short form is the usual one
- you have gotyou've got
- we have gotwe've got
- they have gotthey've got
- he has gothe's got
- it has gotit's got
- has not gothasn't got
- we have not gotwe haven't got
The rule
The forms of have got
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I, you, we, they | We've got a map. | We haven't got a map. | Have we got a map? |
| he, she, it | He's got a map. | He hasn't got a map. | Has he got a map? |
How to give a short answer
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Have you got a car? | Yes, I have. | No, I haven't. |
| Has she got a car? | Yes, she has. | No, she hasn't. |
How to pronounce it
i've got
/aɪv ˈɡɑt/The v in I've is soft and runs into got.
she's got
/ʃiz ˈɡɑt/The 's sounds like /z/. If got follows, it means has.
haven't
/ˈhævənt/Two syllables, with the stress on the first one.
hasn't
/ˈhæzənt/The s sounds like /z/.
Check
(blank) your uncle got a truck? Which word goes in the blank?
Don't confuse it with have and do
She hasn't got a car.
Have got: hasn't, no do
She doesn't have a car.
Have: doesn't + have
In the present both mean have. In the negative, have uses doesn't; have got uses hasn't and no do.
Part 3: have got or haveIn real life
In fast speech 've and 's are hard to hear: I've got can sound like "I got". If you hear got right after the subject, there is a hidden have.
Frequently asked questions
Is she's got the same as she is got?
No: with got, 's means has. She's got a dog is She has got a dog. Without got, 's means is: She's tired.
Can you say I have not got instead of I haven't got?
Yes, it is the long form and it is correct. In speech people almost always say haven't got.
Does got change with he or she in have got?
No: got is the same with everyone. What changes is have or has: I have got, she has got.
In short
- Affirmative: I've got, she's got (have or has + got).
- Negative: haven't got, hasn't got, no do.
- Question: Have you got...? Has she got...?
- Short answer with no got: Yes, I have. / No, she hasn't.