In a previous post, I showed you when you can use have got. In this post, let’s look at using have (got) to.
[*Have to and have got to can be used interchangeably. In this post I write have (got) to to indicate that both forms can be used.]
The meaning of have (got) to is completely different from have/have got:
We have (got) to go to school tomorrow.
James cancelled our date tonight. He’s (got) to work late.
You can’t just show up at her house! You have (got) to call her first.
*Remember, have (got) to is always followed by a verb. You can think of it as have (got) + infinitive.
*Use don’t and doesn’t:
I don’t have to be at work until 2pm tomorrow.
She doesn’t have to start her new job until May 9th.
We don’t have to go to school tomorrow! Yay!
*The negative form for have got to is NOT commonly used in American English:
X: I haven’t got to be at work until 2pm tomorrow.
X: She hasn’t got to start her new job until May 9th.
Question form:
*Use do/don’t and does/doesn’t:
Do you have to go to school tomorrow?
Don’t you have to be home by midnight?
Does this report have to be finished today?
Doesn’t she have to work tomorrow?
*The question form for have got to is NOT commonly used in American English:
X: Have you got to go to school tomorrow?
X: What time have you got to be there?
Have to can be used in other tenses:
We had to leave before the concert was over.
She had to leave the party early because she had to be home by midnight.
He had to spend $2,000 to repair his car after the accident.
You can use have (got) to to talk about the future if you have already made plans to do something, or if you are now obligated to do something in the future.
Note that, even though you are talking about something happening in the future, the simple present tense is still used:
I have (got) to call my mom tomorrow.
We have (got) to go shopping for a dress before the wedding.
He has (got) to improve his grades before he can go to university.
You can use will/won’t have to [NOT will have got to] in the 1st conditional (future possible/real conditional). It means that you will be obligated to do something or it will be necessary to something in the future:
If I don’t go to university I will have to get a job.
When the kids grow up and move out, we’ll have to sell the house and move into a smaller one.
*be going to can be used instead of will:
If she doesn’t buy a new car, she’s going to have to take the bus every day to work.
*In American English, have (got) to is not used in the present continuous form.
X: I am having (got) to …
You can’t be serious. You have got to be kidding me!
She has got to be crazy to want to bungee jump!
This has got to be your sweater! It’s definitely not mine.
*This use of have (got) to is only used in the simple present tense.
Gotta is NOT a word!
‘Gotta’ is the sound that native English speakers make when they say ‘got to.’ It is NOT a proper English word and should NOT be used in written English!
Melanie is a TESL-certified English teacher. She lives near Toronto, Canada. Through her blog, videos, podcasts, and social media, she helps thousands of people around the world improve their English. She makes English a little less confusing and a little more fun! She also helps people understand Canadian and American culture. She believes that natural interaction with a native speaker helps people practice what they have learned and builds their confidence with English!
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