gotta
Slang for must
Gotta is an informal contraction of "got to" or "have got to," expressing necessity or obligation.
It appears almost exclusively in speech and casual writing: I gotta run or You gotta be kidding me.
The word captures the slurred pronunciation that naturally occurs in rapid conversation, making it feel more urgent or emphatic than the full form.
Like gonna and wanna, gotta is standard in dialogue but avoided in formal contexts.
Casual "will" contraction
- wannaDesire to, casually
- kindaCasual somewhat
- sortaInformal partial affirmative
- lemmeContracted "let me"
gimme · dunno · ain't · y'all · gotcha · c'mon · yeah · nope
Obligatory requirement
- need toAre required to
- have toBe obligated
- ought toExpresses moral obligation
- shouldExpresses obligation or expectation
required · supposed to · obligated · compelled · bound · duty-bound · committed · responsible
Move with urgency
- rushQuick sudden movement
- quickMoving with speed
- nowThe present moment
- immediatelyWithout any pause
right away · pressing · can't wait · time to go · move it · get going · hustle · pronto
gonna
Casual "will" contraction
lemme · gimme · dunno · ain't · y'all · gotcha · c'mon · yeah · nope · outta
must
Obligatory requirement
should · required · supposed to · obligated · compelled · bound · duty-bound · committed · responsible · no choice
hurry
Move with urgency
immediately · right away · pressing · can't wait · time to go · move it · get going · hustle · pronto · stat
- Informal Englishgonna, wanna, lemme, kinda, sorta
- Informal Spellingsgonna, wanna, oughta, shoulda, woulda
- kidspeakboo-boo, booboo, cooties, gimme, gonna
- obligation phraseshave to, need to, ought to, should, forced to
- malattieinfluenza, leucemia, malaria, varicella, anemia
- Americanismsaluminum, fixin' to, apartment, howdy, candy