Have or have got?

Have got means exactly the same as have in affirmative clauses. Got-forms of have are informal, and are most common in the present.

• She has got a new boyfriend. (= She has a new boyfriend.)
• My mother has got two sisters. (= My mother has two sisters.)
• They have got a car. (= They have a car.)

Differences

In questions and negatives, we do not normally use have without got.

• Has your sister got a car? (More natural than Has your sister a car.)
• I haven’t got your keys. (More natural than I haven’t your keys.)

Note that it is also possible to use do-forms of have instead of got-forms.

• Does your sister have a car? (= Has your sister got a car?)
• I don’t have your keys. (= I haven’t got your keys.)

Cases where have got is not used

Have got is not used in short answers or tags.

• Have you got a headache?’ ‘Yes, I have.’ (NOT Yes, I have got.)
• She has got a new car, hasn’t she? (NOT …hasn’t she got?)

Got-forms of have are less common in the past tense.

• I had flu last week. (NOT I had got flu last week.)

British-American differences

In British English, have without got is possible in short questions and negatives, though these are often formal.

Compare:

• Have you a car? (Formal GB only)
• Have you got a car? OR Do you have a car? (US/GB)
• It’s a nice flat, but it hasn’t a proper bathroom. (Formal GB only)
• It’s a nice flat, but it doesn’t have a proper bathroom. OR It’s a nice flat, but it hasn’t got a proper bathroom. (US/GB)