gotta

pronunciation spelling

got·​ta ˈgä-tə 

—used for "got to" in informal speech and in representations of such speech

You've gotta be [=you must be] kidding me.

I gotta go. [=I have to go, I have got to go]

If you're going to invite me to a dance, you've gotta let me dance.

—Quentin Tarantino

Fish gotta swim. Birds gotta fly. And opera stars gotta do crossover songs.

—Steve Kort

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above