Gotta
Meaning: A casual contraction of 'got to' or 'have got to,' expressing necessity or obligation.
'Gotta' conveys a sense of urgency or necessity in casual speech. 'I gotta go' is far more common in American conversation than 'I have to go.' It can express strong obligation ('you gotta see this') or excited recommendation ('you gotta try this place').
Examples
- I gotta run — I have a meeting in ten minutes. 我得走了——十分钟后有个会议。Tengo que irme — tengo una reunión en diez minutos.行かなきゃ——10分後に会議があるんだ。가야 돼——10분 후에 회의가 있거든.
- You gotta try the tacos at that new place downtown. 你一定要去试试市中心那家新店的墨西哥卷饼。Tienes que probar los tacos del sitio nuevo del centro.あの新しい店のタコス、絶対食べてみて。그 새 가게 타코 꼭 먹어봐.
- We've gotta figure this out before tomorrow. 我们得在明天之前把这事搞定。Tenemos que resolver esto antes de mañana.明日までにこれ何とかしなきゃ。내일까지 이거 해결해야 해.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: expressing urgency, recommendations, everyday speech
Tone: urgent, emphatic
✓ Do Say
- I gotta get going.我得走了。Tengo que irme ya.もう行かなきゃ。나 가야 돼.
- You gotta be kidding me.你不是在开玩笑吧。Me estás tomando el pelo.冗談だろ、マジで。말도 안 돼.
✗ Don't Say
- Don't use in formal writing — 'We gotta increase revenue' in a report looks sloppy不要用于正式写作——在报告中写'We gotta increase revenue'显得很不严谨No lo uses en escritura formal — 'Tenemos que aumentar los ingresos' con 'gotta' en un informe queda descuidadoフォーマルな文書では使わないこと——報告書に「売上を伸ばさなきゃ」と書くのはだらしない印象격식 있는 글에서는 쓰지 말 것 — 보고서에 '매출을 올려야 된다'를 'gotta'로 쓰면 엉성해 보인다
Origin & History
Contraction of 'got to' / 'have got to,' a natural spoken reduction in American English since the early 20th century. Reflects American preference for brevity in casual speech.
Cultural Context
Era: Early 1900s onwards
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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