has got to prepare for

[Ungifted]

What's the difference between "has/have to" and "has/have got to"?

1. He has to prepare for a written test in French.
2. He has got to prepare for a written test in French.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Some people add the got in sentence 2 (with stress on it) for emphasis. Others just add emphasis by stressing the has in sentence 1. So these mean the same thing:

1. He HAS to prepare . . . .
2. He has GOT to prepare . . . .

And thank you for not saying gotta prepare!

 

[GoesStation]

And thank you for not saying gotta prepare!

Learners should be able to understand spoken American English in common expressions like I've gotta go. We don't use this form as often when speaking emphatically.