Have or Have Got? (Grammar)
Is have got acceptable English grammar? When can you use have or have got in English?
In this post, I answer these questions and more! I explain when you can use have or have got, the correct form of have got (hint: “Does she have got?” is NOT the correct question form!), and also when you can’t use have got!
In spoken and informal written English, have got can be used instead of have in these four situations:
1. To talk about things we own or possess
We have a house in Vancouver.
We’ve got a house in Vancouver.She doesn’t have any money.
She hasn’t got any money.He has a new car!
He’s got a new car!Do you have a minute?
Have you got a minute?I don’t have time right now.
I haven’t got time right now.I have an idea!
I’ve got an idea!
2. To talk about family and relationships
I have a new boyfriend.
I’ve got a new boyfriend.Mike doesn’t have any brothers.
Mike hasn’t got any brothers.Do you have any children?
Have you got any children?
3. To describe people and physical characteristics
Carol has brown eyes.
Carol’s got brown eyes.He doesn’t have blond hair.
He hasn’t got blond hair.Does your sister have long hair?
Has your sister got long hair?
4. To talk about illness or to say that you don’t feel well
I have a bad cold.
I’ve got a bad cold.She doesn’t have a headache anymore.
She hasn’t got a headache anymore.Do you have the flu?
Have you got the flu?
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Notes:
*Have got CANNOT be used for any other use of have (for example, talking about actions and experiences):
I usually have dinner at 18:00.
NOT: I usually have got dinner at 18:00
*Have got is ONLY used in the present simple tense. It CANNOT be used in any other tense:
I had a bad cold last week.
NOT: I had got a bad cold last week.
*Continuous / progressive forms are NOT possible with these meanings of have and have got.
*Have got has NOTHING to do with get. It is NOT the present perfect form of get. [In North American English, have gotten is the present perfect of get.]
*Sometimes the have is left out of have got in SPOKEN English (it is not acceptable to leave out have in written English).
Here are some examples:
Got Milk?
This is a popular advertising campaign for milk in North America. It should be “Have you got milk?
Got a minute?
In English ‘a minute’ is often used to mean ‘a short amount of time.’ People often say: ‘Got a minute?’ which is short for ‘Do you have a minute?’ or ‘Have you got a minute?’
I Gotta Feeling
This is the title of a song by the Black Eyed Peas. It should actually be ‘I have got a feeling.’ Gotta is not a proper English word. It is what native speakers sometimes SAY instead of ‘got a’ or ‘got to.’
Now that you understand when to use have or have got, let’s look at have to and have got to!
Teacher Melanie,
Thanks so much. It is very useful to me.
Simply, but it’s got” a big meaningful.
regards,
Lilyana
Thank you very much! Your explanations saved my life!
I’m at the Teachers training college, and its a pleasure to have found a colleague on the internet.
Regards,
Fernanda.
As a beginner Teacher, thanks a lot.
It sums it up perfectly.
Regards.
Thanks! Teacher Melanie^^
I’ve wanted to know the difference btw have and have got.
Your explanation is very clear!
I should visit here frequently. o(^_^)b
Hi teacher Melanie.
Thank you for your explanation. It’s very clear and useful.
very very useful!thanks a lot!
thank you very much teacher melanie.. it helps me a lot.. btw you are so nice and pretty.. 🙂
We have a teacher or we have got a teacher.
Is this good English:
“Has she a husband?”
I would feel more comfortable with:
“Has she got a husband” or more naturally, “Is she married?”
Yours gramatically,
M. Thiam
Hi, Thiam,
I don’t know a lot about British grammar so I can only tell you about American English.
In American English, the most natural questions are:
“Is she married?”
“Does she have a husband?”
= )
Hi Teacher Melanie,
I’m really enjoying your careful and detailed inspection of the topic.
Thank You very much.
Now I have got a great website to learn English.
Good afternoon teacher,
Thanks a lot for your kindness, I will go with your coaching.
Hi Melanie,
can be used “had got”?
thank you
Hi, Domingos,
In American English, use ‘gotten’ as the past participle; in British English, use ‘got.’
“My friend said her computer had gotten a virus from the email I sent her.”
= )
Hi teacher Melanie,
Can have or has be omitted altogether when we use have got or has got?
For example: Carol got brown eyes.
thank you =)
Hi, Jarvis!
No, you can’t omit it altogether. You will hear some American English speakers talk like this, but it is considered very bad grammar (and the speaker sounds very uneducated).
You can contract ‘has’ to the subject:
“Carol’s got brown eyes.”
= )
Thaanks You So Much.
Very Useful Website
Thank you, Melani
your explanation is so clear.
now, I understand it
I thank you very much .You have done it well
Hi Melanie!
Short question, is this correct:
“The children’ve got English books.” ? – From an Austrian second grade exercise book.
I do not think short form should be used in this case, but… it is not my mother’s tongue!
Andrei
Hi, Andrei!
In American English, we don’t write ‘have’ contractions with anything other than pronouns (I’ve, We’ve, etc.) and some modal verbs (would’ve, could’ve).
However, it’s possible that “children’ve got” is correct in British English, which is probably what’s taught in Austria.
= )
Hi Melanie.I like Website.
very interesting, thank you a lot for the precious information you post
Hi teacher Melanie,
Your explanation has really clarified my ideas.
Everything is very helpful. Blessings