gotta
∞
7.4
To have to do something or need to do it
- auxiliary
- /ˈɡɑːtə/
- Informal
:
tengo que
- We gotta leave now if we want to catch the train.
Examples
-
You gotta try this new restaurant; the food is amazing.
-
I gotta go!
-
I gotta finish my homework before I can go out.
-
You gotta see this movie.
-
I gotta finish my homework before I can go out.
-
We gotta leave now if we want to catch the train.
-
You gotta try this new restaurant; the food is amazing.
Synonyms
must
vsgotta
62
1.0
Something you need and cannot do without
is the informal contracted form showing casual spoken obligation
How Necessary
Surface Forms
Morphology
gotta = got + to (semi-transparent) = got + to + ta
Formally represents the colloquial contraction of 'got to' (spoken /ɡɒtə/), but nonstandard spelling and informal usage may not be obvious to learners.
Etymology
Gotta comes from saying have got to, or just got to, quickly so the words run together into gotta. It means 'must' or 'need to', so using gotta is a quick, informal way to say you have to do something.