Must

De Linuxmemo.

[modifier] Difference between HAVE TO and HAVE GOT TO

First, I would like to say that when I first meet French people they are generally convinced that "Je dois" or "il faut que je +subjunctuive " is "I must".

Personally, I would prefer you use "have to" because it is easier to conjugate in the other tenses and secondly I would like you to use "I have got to" (or even better "agodda..."... I'll talk about that later)

By the way, this is not "bad" or "incorrect" or slang or "anglais de racaille". This is everday, normal English spoken by millions of people in the world!!!!

Listen to this, an Obama election ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iCdxmcislNk

For me, there really is no difference in terms of meaning.

My theory is the following to explain why we use "got"

People like to contract phrases so "I have" becomes "I've'.

The problem is in the "have to" phrases you have an infinitive which follows which creates:

"I"ve to go"

which sounds bizarre and is difficult to say, as if there is a "trou d'air" between the end of "I've' and the beginning of "to go".

....... so people put "got" in the middle to smooth the sentence (lisser). Basically, the 'got' makes it easier to pronounce, more fluid, if you prefer.

In fact "I have got to go" becomes progressively:

I've got to go

I've gotta go (contraction of got & to)

I've godda go ("d" replaces "t" 'cos "d" is easier to say then "t")

Av godda go

and in some case when people speak really quickly, all you hear is "agoddago"!!!!

Listen to Des'ree in this song and listen to how zaps the "have" and how the "t" is pronounced as a "d":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9oZXJD1NVW0

It's good to learn this because it then helps you to identify it when you are also listening to English speakers... so a double advantage:

1) You sound more English when you speak

2) You understand "real" English better.

So it's win-win all the time... much more profitable than thinking "je dois" or "il faut que je..." simply means "I must... blah blah blah".

Source: http://club-concordia.ning.com/group/declic-intersante/page/difference-between-have-to-and-have-got-to

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