have vs. have got

Hi there!

I'm an English-learner at the beginner's level, and I just want to know if it's true that the expression "have got" is only used in British English, but not in American English where only "have" is used instead.

Thank you in advance!

I don't believe it.

"Have got" seems to be prefered in British English. In NAE, "have" is normally used, but "have got" is also occasionally used in informal speech, but souds slightly incorrect. Also, I think "have gotten" is never used in British English.

Depends on your context. Americans use "have got" all the time in such phrases as "You have got to be kidding" or "I have got to get going!" Mostly we use the full "have" when emphasizing "got"; otherwise we often use the contracted form: "You've got...."

For possession, however, it changes: we have an Indian doctor who uses British English at work and I can tell his transcripts in an instant when he says things like "She has got a decubitus ulcer to her sacrum" -- most of us would say "She has a decubitus ulcer..." But to confuse you more, we DO often use the contracted form, as in "He's got a bad cold".

So Americans DO use both forms -- the differences are a little subtle.

>> "She has got a decubitus ulcer to her sacrum" <<

In NAE:
prefered spoken form: "She has a decubitus..."
alternate spoken: "She's got a decubitus..."
spoken form virtually never used "She has got a decubitus..."

written form: "She has a decubitus..."

We can often identify British writers when they use "She has got", as we would *never* write such a form. In speech, we might say "She's got", but virtually never "She has got NP" (Noun Phrase).

Also, we *never* say or write: "Have you got the tickets?" We say rather: "Do you have the tickets?" We do say "Have you gotten the tickets yet?", but this is asking whether you have *received* the tickets, and *not* if you *possess* the tickets.

Thank you all for your explanations!
I actually prefer American English, that's why I wanted to know if there is a real difference.

>> Depends on your context. Americans use "have got" all the time in such phrases as "You have got to be kidding" or "I have got to get going!"<<

I see, but I've always thought that Americans rather use the phrase "You MUST be kidding" instead.

<<I see, but I've always thought that Americans rather use the phrase "You MUST be kidding" instead.>>

Hmm...as an American English speaker, I think "You have got to be kidding" sounds more natural to me.

Yeah, "you have got to be kidding" is used more often.

<<Also, we *never* say or write: "Have you got the tickets?">>

I would disagree. I HAVE used that construction plenty of times, and I'm an ordinary AmE speaker. It doesn't sound unnatural at all.

I would also be likely to use:

"Do you have the tickets?"

"You got the tickets?"

"Got the tickets?"

"You've got the tickets, right?"


I think our options are pretty widespread. The only construction I wouldn't use is "Have you the tickets?" which I would consider stilted and archaic.

>> "Have you got the tickets?" <<
>> I would disagree. I HAVE used that construction plenty of times, and I'm an ordinary AmE speaker. It doesn't sound unnatural at all. <<

Would you ever write that down on paper? And if you did, would you perceive it as being 100% correct? Would you use it for formal writing?

"Would you ever write that down on paper?"

Yes.

"And if you did, would you perceive it as being 100% correct?"

Yes.

"Would you use it for formal writing?"

Yes.

>> "Would you ever write that down on paper?"

Yes.

"And if you did, would you perceive it as being 100% correct?"

Yes.

"Would you use it for formal writing?"

Yes.<<

And, are you a North American?

"And, are you a North American?"

Yes.

From the Great White North.

Re: >> "Have you got the tickets?" <<


<<Would you ever write that down on paper?>>

Certainly. Anything I would say out loud I would also write down.


<<And if you did, would you perceive it as being 100% correct?>>

Why not? It's a natural construction for me, and it makes complete grammatical sense.


<<Would you use it for formal writing?>>

Of course. There is nothing informal about it. Of the examples I listed above, only "You got the tickets?" and "Got the tickets?" are informal expressions. All the rest are ordinary, grammatically correct English.


<<And, are you a North American?>>

Yes.

Interesting. Well, I guess "got" outvoted then. I would never say "Have you got <NP>?". I would say "Do you have <NP>?" Up to now I've only heard British people say "Have you got <NP>?"

Also,
I, personally never say "I've got a piece of paper."
I say, rather "I have a piece of paper."
but of course I have heard other people use the "I've got" or "She's got" form. It's always the contracted form though.

I've also heard, "you got the tickets?" but this sounds very informal.

Personally, I don't like using "I've got". It bothers me. I always just use "I have."