gotta

verb
UK: /ˈɡɒtə/
US: /ˈɡɑːtə/

  1. Short form of 'got to', expressing obligation or necessity. Means 'have to' or 'must'.

    1. I gotta go now. [ ] [ ]
    2. We gotta finish this project by tomorrow to impress the boss, otherwise we are in trouble. [ ] [ ]

  2. Short form of 'got to', expressing possibility or speculation, similar to 'might' or 'could'.

    1. It gotta be him. [ ] [ ]
    2. That noise gotta be the cat; it’s the only animal that comes at night. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

have to must should

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "gotta" in English means: Short form of 'got to', expressing obligation or necessity. Means 'have to' or 'must'., Short form of 'got to', expressing possibility or speculation, similar to 'might' or 'could'..

The phonetic transcription of "gotta" is /ˈɡɒtə/ in British English and /ˈɡɑːtə/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "gotta": have to, must, should.

Example usage of "gotta": "I gotta go now.". More examples on the page.