Gotta

American Slang Term American ★★★★★ Very Common Casual
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Meaning: A casual contraction of 'got to' or 'have got to,' expressing necessity or obligation.

'got to'或'have got to'的口语缩略形式,表示必要性或义务。
Contracción informal de 'got to' o 'have got to', que expresa necesidad u obligación.
「got to」「have got to」のカジュアルな短縮形で、必要性や義務を表す。
'got to' 또는 'have got to'의 캐주얼한 축약형으로, 필요성이나 의무를 나타낸다.

'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').

'Gotta'在日常口语中传达一种紧迫感或必要性。在美国人的对话中,'I gotta go'比'I have to go'常见得多。它可以表达强烈的义务('you gotta see this')或者兴奋的推荐('you gotta try this place')。
'Gotta' transmite una sensación de urgencia o necesidad en el habla coloquial. 'I gotta go' es mucho más habitual en la conversación americana que 'I have to go'. Puede expresar una obligación fuerte ('you gotta see this') o una recomendación entusiasta ('you gotta try this place').
「gotta」はカジュアルな会話で緊急性や必要性を伝える。「I gotta go」は「I have to go」よりもアメリカ人の会話ではずっと一般的。強い義務(「you gotta see this」)や興奮した推薦(「you gotta try this place」)を表すこともできる。
'Gotta'는 일상 대화에서 긴급함이나 필요성을 전달한다. 'I gotta go'가 미국 대화에서 'I have to go'보다 훨씬 흔하다. 강한 의무('you gotta see this')나 열정적인 추천('you gotta try this place')을 표현할 수 있다.

Examples

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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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