Lesson 6 | Have to

For practice, read these sentences slowly out loud.

I hafta buy some flowers.

I hafta buy a card.

I hafta buy a pen.

I hafta buy some staples.

I hafta buy some cat food.

Now read these same sentences again using “gotta.”

I gotta buy some flowers.

I gotta buy a card.

I gotta buy a pen.

I gotta buy some staples.

I gotta buy some cat food.

Repeat (reading)

Now read these quickly

I hafta buy some flowers.

I hafta buy a card.

I hafta buy a pen.

I hafta buy some staples.

I hafta buy some cat food.

I gotta buy some flowers.

I gotta buy a card.

I gotta buy a pen.

I gotta buy some staples.

I gotta buy some cat food.

When you speak slowly and clearly, you say “have to” and “have got to.” When you speak in normal conversation, you often say “hafta” and “gotta.”

Repeat these sentences slowly for practice.

I hafta practice the piano.

I hafta wash the clothes.

I hafta iron my shirt.

I gotta water the flowers.

I gotta take out the garbage.

Repeat (listening)

Now repeat these sentences quickly.

I hafta practice the piano.

I hafta wash the clothes.

I hafta iron my shirt.

I gotta water the flowers.

I gotta take out the garbage.

Also, when saying “has to” as in the sentence “He has to go home,” I often change the words “has to” to “hasta.”

She hasta do her homework.

She hasta practice the piano.

He hasta buy some new bananas.

He hasta buy some more cereal.

He hasta get some exercise.

Read

Now you try it.

She hasta do her homework.

She hasta practice the piano.

He hasta buy some new bananas.

He hasta buy some more cereal.

He hasta get some exercise.

Now, you change these sentences using “hafta” and “gotta.”

Say them slowly.

I have to eat dinner.

I've got to have a vacation.

I have to leave early.

I've got to make a phone call.

I have to get my work done.

Repeat (listening)

Now listen to these sentences and say them quickly

I halfta eat dinner.

I gotta have a vacation.

I halfta leave early.

I gotta make a phone call.

I halfta get my work done.

Okay, so you understand the changes. Listen to these sentences and see if you can understand and repeat them.

I gotta go for a walk tamorrow.

I hafta get up early and go golfun.

I gotta go ta that new restaurant.

I gotta see this new movie.

I hafta work all day taday.

Read and Change

Here are some sentences, read them out loud slowly, then change them for normal conversation.

I have to walk home.

Do you have to stay here long?

He doesn’t have to come with us.

I've just got to go home.

He has to work this weekend.

So here the words “have got to” are pronounced as a single word “gotta.”

One thing that you should understand is that when asking a question you start it with “have.”

Have you got to stay long?

Have ya gotta stay long?

You never say, “Do you gotta stay long?”

Instead you say “Do you hafta stay long?”

And when using he or she, you say “He's gotta,” “She's gotta.”

Listen

He's gotta get a new car.

She's gotta buy groceries.

He's gotta go home after work.

She's gotta babysit tanight.

Repeat

Read and repeat these sentences quickly changing them for conversation.

He's got to get a new car.

She's got to buy groceries.

He's got to go home after work.

She's got to babysit tonight.

Okay, listen to this conversation for the changes that you’ve learned.

Morning. I gotta go ta work early.

Why? Do ya hafta do somethun special?

Yeah, I hafta finish a report fer my boss.

I thought Cheryl was gunna do the report?

She was, but, she got sick and hasta stay home.

Okay, good lesson, let’s learn some more.