1040 - Got to → Gotta Speak Naturally in a Minute

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every week with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation.

Today, let’s talk about another very natural reduction in American English: “have got to.” In everyday conversation, HAVE GOT TO becomes “gotta.”

• I've got to go. Becomes I gotta go.
• You've got to see this. Becomes You gotta see this.
• We've got to hurry. Becomes We gotta hurry.

This is very common in casual, spoken American English.
Let's practice. Repeat after me.

• I gotta go.
• You gotta see this
• We gotta hurry.

Nice and smooth - gotta
Hey, thanks for listening! And remember to follow and subscribe so you won’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Speak Naturally in a Minute. Until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.


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