# 1040 - Got to → Gotta Speak Naturally in a Minute

An episode of [Happy English Podcast (Natural American English)](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/884643408), 26 Apr 2026, 1:20.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/71606543/1040_got_to_gotta_speak_naturally_in_a_minute.mp3

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every week with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. Today, let’s talk about another very natural reduction in American English: “have got to.” In everyday conversation, HAVE GOT TO becomes “gotta.” • I've got to go. Becomes I gotta go. • You've got to see this. Becomes You gotta see this. • We've got to hurry. Becomes We gotta hurry. This is very common in casual, spoken American English. Let's practice. Repeat after me. • I gotta go. • You gotta see this • We gotta hurry. Nice and smooth - gotta Hey, thanks for listening! And remember to follow and subscribe so you won’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Speak Naturally in a Minute. Until next time, keep learning and keep it cool. The Happy English Podcast Helping people speak English better since 2014 Over 1,000 episodes • 8 million downloads 📘 Get free weekly English lessons plus instant access to my FREE Vocabulary Workshop.: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/free-english-lessons 🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts 🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses https://www.myhappyenglish.com

## Transcript

[0:00] Speaker 1: Hey there, it's Michael here and welcome back to Speak
[0:04] Speaker 1: Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I'm here every
[0:08] Speaker 1: Sunday with a short one point lesson to help you
[0:12] Speaker 1: improve your pronunciation, rhythm and intonation. Today, let's talk about
[0:19] Speaker 1: another very common reduction in American English. Have got to
[0:24] Speaker 1: in everyday conversation, have got to becomes gotta. I have
[0:30] Speaker 1: got to go becomes I gotta go, You have got
[0:36] Speaker 1: to see this becomes you gotta see this. We have
[0:41] Speaker 1: got to hurry becomes we gotta hurry. Let's practice repeat
[0:47] Speaker 1: after me. I gotta go, you gotta see this. We
[0:54] Speaker 1: gotta hurry, nice and smooth, gotta he. Thanks for listening,
[1:02] Speaker 1: and remember to follow or subscribe so you won't miss
[1:05] Speaker 1: the next Happy English podcast in next week's Speak Naturally
[1:10] Speaker 1: in a Minute. Until next time, keep learning and keep
[1:14] Speaker 1: it cool.

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