You've got and you got

Question

what's the difference between you've got and you got. im really confused on when to use it.
example would be - youve got mail and you got mail. so what's the difference in time ? does this mean that youve got mail is something that was mailed yesterday or earlier? and you got is just like it was mailed recently? tnx hope to hear a response.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

what's the difference between you've got and you got. im really confused on when to use it.

example would be - youve got mail and you got mail. so what's the difference in time ? does this mean that youve got mail is something that was mailed yesterday or earlier? and you got is just like it was mailed recently? tnx hope to hear a response.

You've got mail (= You have got mail) This is Present Perfect tense. It means that you received mail in the past and that fact is important right now, in the present

eg Good morning, Tom. You've got mail. There it is, on the table. You should open it.

You got mail This is Simple Past tense. It just states a fact about some past event, but does not show it has any importance in the present.

eg You never get mail. The last time you got mail was in 2001.

eg I didn't do anything important yesterday morning. I ate breakfast. I got mail. I went to work.

Sometimes people say 'You got' when they really mean 'You have got'. This is what is probably confusing you. It's usually carelessness, or lack of education.

To understand this explanation well, you need to have studied Present Perfect.

Best wishes, Clive

You've got and you got

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