Present simple: "have got"

Do you know how to use have and have got?

Look at these examples to see how we use have/has got.

• I've got a big family.

• We haven't got a garden.

• Have you got any pets?

Explanation

“Have got” is often used in colloquial language and frequently in the contracted or short form. Note: “Have got” can only be used in the present simple tense.

We use I/you/we/they + have got or he/she/it + has got to talk about things that we have.

In many situations, have and have got mean the same thing. Have got is a little less formal than have. We often use have got more in speaking and have more in writing.

• They have got a big garden. = They have a big garden.

• She has got a good job. = She has a good job.

We can use have/has got to talk about appearance, family and friends or possessions. We often contract the verb, especially when we're speaking.

• I have got brown hair. = I've got brown hair.

• My sister has got long hair. = My sister's got long hair.

• He has not got many friends. = He hasn't got many friends.

• They have got a new car. = They've got a new car.

We can also use have/has got for timetabled events, illnesses or abstract things.

• They've got basketball practice this evening.

• He's got a terrible cold.

• I've got a good idea!

Affirmative

Negative

For negatives, use not after have/has. We can contract negatives.

• We have not got any pets. = We haven't got any pets.

• She has not got a brother. = She hasn't got a brother.

Questions

To make questions, use have/has + subject + got.

• Have you got a big house?

• How many rooms has it got?

Short answers

For yes/no questions, we can use short answers.

• Have you got a new job? No, I haven't.

• Has she got a meeting this morning? Yes, she has.

Have/has got is only used in the present tense. For the past, use had without got.

• I had got a red bike when I was young.

• I had a red bike when I was young.