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gotcha

gotcha

27 8.1
A quick way to say you understand or that you caught someone doing something
  • interjection
  • /ˈɡɑːtʃə/
  • Informal
translation icon : entendido
  • Sure, I gotcha.
  • Yeah, gotcha
  • Oh, gotcha
  • Okay, gotcha

Examples

  • Okay, gotcha, I can do that.

  • (getting it now) I gotcha, I gotcha, Chief!

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Frank: Yeah, yeah, I gotcha.

    Academic text (2017)
  • But Speaking of that, I gotcha if that's what you wanted to hear.

  • All right, I gotcha.

  • Yeah, I gotcha.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Okay, I gotcha.

    Blog text (11)
  • Yeah, gotcha.

    Blog text (29)
  • Boom, I gotcha.

  • When he tried to deny the mistake, I said, 'Gotcha!' to show I understood.

Synonyms

yeah
vsgotcha
  • Informal
2.0

A short reply to show you are listening and understand

can additionally be used to state that someone was caught doing something
you're telling me
vsgotcha
  • Informal
153 8.5

To say this to show you strongly agree with an obvious or unpleasant point

is instead used mainly for simple understanding or for exposing someone
right
vsgotcha
  • Informal
106 1.0

Say this to show agreement or acceptance

can also imply understanding or that someone has been caught
getcha
vsgotcha
  • Informal
9 9.9

Shows that you understand or agree with someone

also can mean you have exposed or caught someone in the act
yeah-huh
vsgotcha
  • Informal
1 9.9

A short casual reply showing weak agreement or that you heard someone

often also carries the sense of noticing or catching someone

Compounds

gotcha journalism
  • Literature
1 8.0

A way reporters try to catch politicians making mistakes in a harsh way

How Aware

gotcha
  • Informal
27 8.1
to catch that
  • Informal
11 3.0
oh
1.0
huh
  • Informal
8.0

Surface Forms

gotcha main

Morphology

gotcha = got + you (semi-transparent) = got + you

Colloquial contraction of the phrase 'got you' whose meanings ('I understand' / 'I caught you') map to the senses, but the phonological reduction is non‑regular and may be unfamiliar to learners.

Etymology

Gotcha comes from the quick spoken phrase got you, where 'got' means 'caught' or 'understood'. So when someone says gotcha they are saying 'I understand' or 'I've caught you'.