I've got, I got, I have

[retro]

Hello!

I've been trying to figure out when it's best to use 'have got', 'got' and 'have' expressing possession. Is there a rule? Should we use any of them to refer to objects or in formal or in informal speech. Is any of them much more common in AmE or in BrE? I'm confused.


Well, here are some examples from 2 films, which hopefully, will help you explain.

- You got all your stuff? (A father asking his son).

- That's a great hat you've got. (A guy to a woman).

- Man, you're a real cowboy. Don't get off. We still got 15 minutes left. Take off. (A guy to someone whom he has just met).

- I got some things I gotta do. (same)

- I got a lot to do today. (same)

- You have a lot of people waiting to see you. (Man to his daughter).

- We haven't got any bread. (friends)

- I got a little problem. I need some bread right away. It's $250. I need it now.

-You got any (money)?

- I have nothing to understand. (Man to someone he doesn't know).

- We really don't have any time now. We've got to be at school. So will you just stop the car? Just let me drive. (Man to someone whom he doesn't know).

- Hey Les. You got a minute? (A boss to his emloyee).
- For you, Brad? I've got five. (The employee's respond).

-Oh really, do you need a ride? We can give you a ride. I have a car. You wanna come with us? (Man to his daughter's girlfriend).
- Thanks... but I have a car. (The girlfriend's response).

- You've got a crush on him. (A girl to her girlfriend)

- We have a very healthy relationship.(Man to her wife's colleague).

Native speakers's (both (preferably) AmE and BrE) help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

[riverkid]

Hello!
I've been trying to figure out when it's best to use 'have got', 'got' and 'have' expressing possession. Is there a rule? Should we use any of them to refer to objects or in formal or in informal speech. Is any of them much more common in AmE or in BrE? I'm confused.
Well, here are some examples from 2 films, which hopefully, will help you explain.

Basically Retro, any of the three COULD be used in any of these situations. But here's the kicker. As the situation grows more important, we tend to use them in the reverse order that you've got them above.

But there's another kicker. Often the <have> or <'ve> is much reduced or unvoiced so a 'got' could actually be a "S have/has got" // S+'ve/S's got

With this bit of info, why not try to answer your own question.

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[BobK]

The big difference between Ame and BE that I'm aware of (in this case - got/have) is the response in such cases as this:

BE: "Have you got any?'/'Yes I have.'
AmE: "Do you have any?/"Yes I do.'

This gets very confusing when you have a BE speaker talking to an AmE speaker. You get things like:

BE speaker "Have you got any?/AmE speaker "Yes I do"

b

ps - My interest in these responses may have given a false impression: "I have got" and "I have" are both fine in BE.

[MikeNewYork]

The big difference between Ame and BE that I'm aware of (in this case - got/have) is the response in such cases as this:

BE: "Have you got any?'/'Yes I have.'
AmE: "Do you have any?/"Yes I do.'

This gets very confusing when you have a BE speaker talking to an AmE speaker. You get things like:

BE speaker "Have you got any?/AmE speaker "Yes I do"

b

ps - My interest in these reponses may have given a false impression: "I have got" and "I have" are both fine in BE.

I don't find "Have you got" to be uncommon in AE. The biggest differences I find are these:

Some BE speakers say "Have you a bicycle?". That is rare in AE.

In AE, "I've got" (or I have) is most common when it refers to possession. We use "I've gotten" most often to indicate receipt. It is my understanding that "gotten" is used rarely in BE.

[BobK]

I don't find "Have you got" to be uncommon in AE. The biggest differences I find are these:

Some BE speakers say "Have you a bicycle?". That is rare in AE.

Yes we do. It's reinforced by such nursery rhymes as Baa-baa black sheep, have you any wool? Is this known/recited by American children?

In AE, "I've got" (or I have) is most common when it refers to possession. We use "I've gotten" most often to indicate receipt. It is my understanding that "gotten" is used rarely in BE.

"gotten" is another form used by the Pilgrim Fathers, but now rare in standard English - but it's still used dialectally in various parts of the British Isles. It's also preserved in the fossil phrase 'ill-gotten gains'.

b

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, we have that nursery rhyme. It hasn't really transferred to the language as a whole, however.

I have read that "gotten" was the preferred participle in BE until the 17th or 18th century. Times change.

[retro]

Basically Retro, any of the three COULD be used in any of these situations. But here's the kicker. As the situation grows more important, we tend to use them in the reverse order that you've got them above.

Let me get it straight. Do you mean when saying "As the situation grows more important, we tend to use them in the reverse order that you've got them above". that for example if you've fallen behind with any repayments because of lack of money, should you say to your friend from whom you're borrowing money that "Do you have any money?" What exactly do you mean by important? Anything can be important.

[retro]

In AE, "I've got" (or I have) is most common when it refers to possession. We use "I've gotten" most often to indicate receipt. It is my understanding that "gotten" is used rarely in BE.

Do you mean current or general possession? Or "I've got", "got", and "I have" each can be used interchangeably to indicate either?

[MikeNewYork]

Do you mean current or general possession? Or "I've got", "got", and "I have" each can be used interchangeably to indicate either?

When we are talking about possession, the most grammatically correct, IMO, is "I have". Informally, "I've got" is acceptable. "I got" for current possession (present tense) is neither grammatical nor acceptable to me.

My point was that AmE uses "I've gotten" instead of "I've got" to mean "I have received". This seems to me to be clearer than using "I've got" for both possession and receipt.

[riverkid]

When we are talking about possession, the most grammatically correct, IMO, is "I have". Informally, "I've got" is acceptable. "I got" for current possession (present tense) is neither grammatical nor acceptable to me.

Degree of formality does not equate to grammatical correctness, Mike. Have you seen the ads for milk?

"Got milk?"

Just as this is a reduced form from "Have you got milk?", so too is "I got ...". Further complicating things is the fact that the <'ve> is much reduced to completely unvoiced. It's sort of an ellipsis of sorts.

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