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Flaviaromao Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Have vs. have got

What's the difference between "have" and "have got" to express possession?

Examples:

I have a pen.
I have got a pen.
  

Top answer

Those two examples mean the same thing - you have a pen, now, at this very moment. Using 'got' in that context is superfluous, a syntactic pleonasm. It is fairly common in informal spoken english.

— Chipw

  • Those two examples mean the same thing - you have a pen, now, at this very moment.
  • Using 'got' in that context is superfluous, a syntactic pleonasm.
  • It is fairly common in informal spoken english.
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4 Answers
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Those two examples mean the same thing - you have a pen, now, at this very moment. Using 'got' in that context is superfluous, a syntactic pleonasm. It is fairly common in informal spoken english.
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The first version is more formal. There is no difference in meaning. In the UK, "have got" is extremely common in everyday speech. However, the contraction "I've got" would almost always be used.
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I have got is correct in AmE? I thought that I have got is bad English...
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AnonymousI have got is correct in AmE?
Yes, and also in BrE.

The idiom is "have got" in both American and British English. It is an alternate for "have".
"have got" is present perfect in form, but present in meaning.

I have got a pen. = I have a pen.
I have not got any money. = I do not have any money.

Using contractions:
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