Have got and has got: how to use them
Short answer: Have got and has got mean the same as have and has when you talk about what someone owns. Use have got with I, you, we and they, and has got with he, she and it. Short forms are common: I’ve got, she’s got. Ask with Have you got...? and answer Yes, I have. or No, I haven’t.
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At a glance
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I, you, we, they | have got | I have got a cat. |
| he, she, it | has got | She has got a bike. |
| short form | ’ve got / ’s got | I’ve got, she’s got |
| question | Have / Has + subject + got? | Have you got a pet? |
| short answer | Yes, I have. / No, I haven’t. | Yes, I have. |
In short
- have got / has got: the same meaning as have / has.
- I, you, we, they: have got. he, she, it: has got.
- Questions: Have you got ...? Answer: Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
What is the rule for “have got and has got”?
The rule
have got and has got mean the same as have and has.
How it looks
I / you / we / they + have got · he / she / it + has got
What it means
They tell what someone owns.
When to use it
Use them to say what you own. Short forms: I've got, she's got.
How it works
- Use have got and has got for owning things and for the body: I’ve got blue eyes.
- Match the subject: I, you, we, they take have got; he, she, it take has got.
- To ask, move have or has to the front: Have you got a pet? Has he got a ball?
- In short answers, do not repeat got: Yes, I have. Not Yes, I got.
Examples of “have got and has got”
- I have got a cat.
Short form: I've got a cat. - She has got a new bike.
Short form: she's got a new bike. - Have you got a pet?
Answer: Yes, I have. / No, I haven't. - Has he got a ball?
Answer: Yes, he has. / No, he hasn't. - They have got two cats.
they goes with have got. - It has got four legs.
it goes with has got. - Has she got a pen?
A question starts with Has. Short answer: Yes, she has. - We haven’t got any milk.
haven’t got is the negative: we do not have any milk.
Common mistakes with “have got and has got”
She have got a bike.→ She has got a bike.
she goes with has.I have get a dog.→ I have got a dog.
The word is got. Not get.Have you got a pet? Yes, I got.→ Have you got a pet? Yes, I have.
Answer with have, not got.Do you have got a pet?→ Have you got a pet?
Do not mix do with have got. Say Have you got...? or Do you have...?She haven’t got a bike.→ She hasn’t got a bike.
she takes hasn’t.
Exceptions: watch out
- I've, she's
Short forms: I have → I've. She has → she's.
Have got or have? Has got or has?
For owning, both are correct. Have got is more informal and more common in British English. Have is used in more situations.
| Idea | have got | have |
|---|---|---|
| owning | I’ve got a dog. | I have a dog. |
| question | Have you got a pen? | Do you have a pen? |
| negative | I haven’t got a pen. | I don’t have a pen. |
| breakfast, fun | not used | I have breakfast. We have fun. |
See also: have and has
Check yourself
- Fill the gap: “She ___ got a new bike.”
Show the answer
has she takes has got.
- Answer: “Have you got a pet?” (yes)
Show the answer
Yes, I have. Answer with have, not got.
- Which is correct: “I have get a dog” or “I have got a dog”?
Show the answer
I have got a dog. The word is got.
How to practice “have got and has got”
The interactive version adds step-by-step help, spoken instructions and a quick check. One rule card, one sound lesson and the first lesson of every stone are free to try; the rest is part of Full Access. See Full Access.
- Practice lesson: I've got a ...: have got and has got
Questions
Is “have got” correct in American English?
It is understood everywhere. In American English, people more often say I have a dog, but I’ve got a dog is also fine in speech.
Can I use “have got” for “have breakfast”?
No. For eating, drinking and activities, use have only: I have breakfast. We have fun.
What is the negative of “has got”?
Hasn’t got: She hasn’t got a bike.
More Grammar Foundations rules
- Naming words: nouns: A noun is a naming word. It names a person, an animal, a place or a thing.
- A or An?: Before one thing, say a or an. Choose by the first sound.
- One and many: plural -s: For more than one thing, add -s: one cat, two cats.
- Plurals: -es, -ies and special nouns: Most nouns add -s. Some add -es or -ies, and some change a lot.
- this, that, these, those: Use this and these for things near you. Use that and those for things far away.
- I am, you are, it is: Use am with I, are with you and is with it.
Used in these writing topics
Part of the 📘 Grammar tool. Level G1: Grammar Foundations. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30