🎙 Have or Have Got: What's the Difference?
Have vs Have Got“PRETEND”
Use both 'have' and 'have got' to talk about possession and descriptions. Understand when to use each form in questions, negatives, and everyday situations.
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Welcome
Josie: “Welcome to the YouSpeakPlus Audio Cast. I am Josie.”
Jon: “And I am Jon. Today we look at have and have got. They mean the same thing. For example: I have a dog. I have got a dog.”
Josie: “Then we look at the word pretend. It has more than one use. Listen carefully.”
Jon: “And at the end, a short story brings everything together.”
Josie: “Ready? Let's start.”
Part 1 · Grammar
Josie: “Today we look at have and have got. Good news first. They mean the same thing. Listen to these two sentences. I have a car. I have got a car. Same meaning. Both are correct.”
Marco: “Oh, so I can use both? Always?”
Josie: “Almost always. We use both for things we own. We also use both to describe people. Let me show you four quick examples. Listen carefully.”
Marco: “OK, I am ready.”
Josie: “I have a big flat. I have got a big flat. She has long hair. She has got long hair. He has a headache. He has got a headache. They have two dogs. They have got two dogs. Notice the pattern. Every pair means the same thing.”
Marco: “I see. So have got is a little more… relaxed? More informal?”
Josie: “Good thinking. Yes, that is right. Have got sounds more informal. Have sounds a little more formal. But both are fine in normal conversation. You can use either one.”
Marco: “And questions? How do I make a question?”
Josie: “Good question. The two forms make questions in different ways. Listen to the pattern. With have, you say: Do you have a brother? With have got, you say: Have you got a brother? Two different patterns. Now try the first one. Ask me: Do you have a brother?”
Marco: “Do you have a brother?”
Josie: “Perfect. Now try the second one. Ask me the same question. Use have got this time.”
Marco: “Have you got a brother?”
Josie: “Excellent. Now for negative sentences. For have, you say: I don't have a brother. For have got, you say: I haven't got a brother. Now you try. Say you don't have a car. Use have got.”
Marco: “I haven't got a car.”
Josie: “Great. Now say you don't have an appointment. Use do this time.”
Marco: “I don't have an appointment.”
Josie: “Good. Now, one important thing. For meals and actions, we only use have. Not have got. Listen. I have lunch at one. I have a shower in the morning. You cannot say I have got lunch. Only have works here.”
Marco: “Ah, OK. So have got is only for things, not for actions.”
Josie: “Exactly right. And one more important point. For the past, we only use had. Not have got. Listen. Last year I had a motorbike. That is correct. Last year I have got a motorbike. That is wrong. Now you try. Say you had a dog last year.”
Marco: “Last year I have got a dog.”
Josie: “Not quite. Remember, for the past we use had. Have got is only for the present. Say it again. Last year I had a dog.”
Marco: “Last year I had a dog.”
Josie: “Perfect. Now let us look at two classic mistakes. First mistake. Listen. Do you have got a sister? That is wrong. You cannot mix do with have got. The right question is: Do you have a sister? Or: Have you got a sister? Say the right question. Use have got.”
Marco: “Have you got a sister?”
Josie: “Great. One more mistake. This one surprises many learners. If someone asks: Have you got a pen? And you want to say yes, you say: Yes, I have. Not: Yes, I have got. The short answer is always just yes, I have. Try it. I ask: Have you got a pen? You say yes.”
Marco: “Yes, I have.”
Josie: “Good. So let us remember today's key points. Have and have got mean the same thing for possession and descriptions. For the past, use had only. For actions and meals, use have only. And keep your short answers simple: yes, I have. Use these rules and you will not go wrong.”
Part 2 · Word focus
Josie: “Today we look at a really useful word. The word is pretend. Listen to this sentence. The boy pretends he is a superhero.”
Marco: “Pretend. OK. So he is not really a superhero?”
Josie: “Exactly. He acts as if he is a superhero. But it is not true. That is pretend. You do something on purpose, but it is not real.”
Marco: “I think I understand. Can you give me another example?”
Josie: “Yes. Listen to this one. She pretends she is asleep when her phone rings. She is not really asleep. She just does not want to answer.”
Marco: “Ha! I know people like that. So pretend is about hiding the truth?”
Josie: “Yes, often. You can pretend to hide your real feelings. Listen. He pretends he is fine, but he is really very sad. He hides his feelings.”
Marco: “So he acts happy. But inside he is not happy.”
Josie: “Perfect. One more example. She pretends she got the job. But she did not get it. She hides the bad news from her family.”
Marco: “OK. And children use this word a lot, yes? For games?”
Josie: “Good thinking. Yes. Children love to pretend in play. We call it make-believe. Listen. Let's pretend this chair is a boat. That is make-believe.”
Marco: “Ah, yes. I did that when I was a child. We pretended the garden was a jungle.”
Josie: “Great example. And notice you used the past there. We pretended. That is correct. The past form is pretended. Simple and regular.”
Marco: “Josie, in Italian we have the word pretendere. Is that the same as pretend?”
Josie: “Ah, careful. This is a trap. In Italian, pretendere means to demand or to expect. In English, pretend means to act as if something is not true. Very different meanings.”
Marco: “Oh no. So I cannot say I pretend you give me more time. That is wrong?”
Josie: “Yes, that is wrong in English. You say I expect you to give me more time. Or simply, I want more time. Save pretend for when something is not real.”
Marco: “OK. So pretend is not about asking for something. It is about acting.”
Josie: “Exactly. Now a quick check. I give you three sentences. Tell me what pretend means in each one. Ready?”
Marco: “Ready.”
Josie: “First sentence. The kids pretend the living room is a castle. What does pretend mean there?”
Marco: “It is make-believe. A game in their imagination.”
Josie: “Good. Second sentence. He pretends he is not tired, but he goes to bed at eight. What does pretend mean there?”
Marco: “He hides his real feelings. He acts as if he is fine.”
Josie: “Perfect. Third sentence. She pretended she did not see her old boss on the street. What does pretend mean there?”
Marco: “She acted as if she did not see him. But she did see him.”
Josie: “Excellent. So the one thing to remember: pretend means to act as if something is true when it is not. It is never about demanding or expecting. Keep that difference clear and you will use it well.”
- to act as if something is true when it is not true The children pretend they are astronauts and run around the garden.
- to behave in a way that hides your real feelings or situation She pretends she is happy, but she is really very tired.
- to make believe in play or imagination, especially as a child Let's pretend this box is a spaceship!
Part 3 · Story
Marco: “Now here is a story. It puts what we heard in parts one and two into practice. Listen for three things: have, have got, and the word pretend.”
Marco: “It is Saturday morning. A man called Luca is at home. He has a small flat on the second floor. He has got a big window at the front.”
Marco: “His neighbour is a woman called Rosa. Rosa has got a house next door. She has a lovely garden. But right now she has a problem.”
Marco: “Rosa needs a ladder. She has got some old paint on her roof. She wants to clean it. But she has no ladder at home.”
Marco: “She walks to Luca's door and knocks. Luca is still in bed. He hears the knock. He does not want to get up. So he pretends he is asleep.”
Marco: “Rosa knocks again. Luca opens one eye. He looks at the clock. It is seven thirty. He pretends he does not hear her. He pulls the blanket over his head.”
Marco: “Rosa knocks a third time. This time she calls out. She says: Luca, I know you are in there. I can see your light.”
Marco: “Luca gets up. He opens the door. He has got messy hair and tired eyes. He says: Rosa, it is seven thirty. I have got a headache.”
Marco: “Rosa says: I am sorry, Luca. But do you have a ladder? I need it for the roof. Just for one hour.”
Marco: “Luca thinks. He says: I have got a ladder, yes. But it is in my car. And my car is down the street. He does not move.”
Marco: “Rosa looks at him. She says: Luca, are you pretending the car is far away? It is just around the corner. I can see it from here.”
Marco: “Luca laughs a little. He says: OK, OK. You got me. I was pretending. I just did not want to go outside in the cold.”
Marco: “Rosa smiles. She says: I have got coffee on at home. Come and have a coffee with me after. It is warm and it is good.”
Marco: “Luca says: now that is a good reason to get up. He goes to get his coat. He has got a very old coat. It has got big pockets and no buttons.”
Marco: “He walks down the street. He gets the ladder from the car. He brings it back to Rosa's house. Rosa is very happy.”
Marco: “They go up to the roof together. The job takes forty minutes. After that, they go inside. Rosa has breakfast ready on the table.”
Marco: “She has got eggs, bread, and a big pot of coffee. Luca sits down. He says: Rosa, I have got one question. Why did you not ask me yesterday?”
Marco: “Rosa laughs. She says: I did knock yesterday. But you pretended you were not home. I saw you through the window.”
Marco: “Luca goes red. He says: I do not know what you are talking about. Rosa just smiles and pours the coffee.”
Marco: “And that is the end of our story. Now listen again and count. Have and have got come up nine times in the story. The word pretend comes up five times. Did you catch them all?”
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