gotta

[ got-uh ]

Informal.

1. got to; have got to:

   I can’t stay—I gotta get up early tomorrow.

2. got a; have got a:

   Hey, man, gotta light?

gotta

/ ˈɡɒtə /

verb

1. got to

Usage Note

See get.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gotta¹

First recorded in 1885–90 in spelling gotter, representing the r-less British pronunciation of the phrase (have) got to or (have) got a in continuous rapid speech

More About Gotta

What does gotta mean?

Gotta is an informal shortening of the phrase got to, as in My ride is here, so I gotta go.

A past tense form of the verb get, got is used informally to mean “must” or “have got.” To is used to mark an infinitive verb, as in to run, to read, or to sing. Together, the informal got to means “have to“ or “need to.” 

In informal language, speakers will shorten got to to gotta. You can use it to mean “must” or “have to,” as in I gotta get an A on the next test to pass the course.

Gotta is also an informal shortening for got a, meaning “have.” If you’re thirsty, you might ask your friends, Anybody gotta bottle of water? 

Some other similar shortenings include wanna (“want to,” “want a”), gonna (“going to”), hafta (“have to”), lemme (“let me”), kinda (“kind of”), and dunno (“don’t know”).

Example: Well I gotta go soon, so why don’t I start packing up?

Where does gotta come from?

The first records of the term gotta come from around the 1880s. Originally, the shortening was spelled gotter but was said without the r sound in British English dialects. The spelling was eventually changed to represent the pronunciation.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for gotta?

• got to
• have to
• need to

What are some words that often get used in discussing gotta?

• get
• got
• have
• informal

How is gotta used in real life?

Gotta is commonly used in informal speaking and writing. 

It's gotta be you, only you. It's gotta be you, only you #8YearsofOneDirection

— One Direction (@onedirection) July 23, 2018

sometimes you gotta close a door to open the window

— T (@tylerthecreator) May 24, 2019

 

Try using gotta!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for gotta?

A. got to
B. need to
C. used to
D. have to