# gotta

Pronunciation: say "GOT-uh" US /ˈɡɑtə/, UK /ˈɡɒtə/

## Verb

1. Contraction of got to. *(colloquial)* — Synonym of have got to, have to
   - Simple: Short form of got to. Use it in casual speech when you must do something.
   - _Sorry, I gotta run. My shift starts in ten minutes._
   - _You've gotta see the view from the rooftop before you leave._
2. Contraction of got a. *(colloquial)* — Contraction of got a.
   - Simple: Short form of got a. Use it in casual speech to say someone has something.
   - _She's gotta brand-new bike that she rides everywhere._
   - _We gotta problem with the kitchen sink. It's leaking again._

## Origin

A contraction of "got to".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/gotta (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).