You’ve heard it since second grade. "Don't use 'got'! It's lazy writing." Your teacher probably shook a red pen at you while insisting that obtained, received, or acquired were the only way to sound like a functioning adult. But honestly? That’s kinda mostly wrong.
If you’re wondering if "got" is actually a word, the short answer is: obviously. It’s sitting right there in the Oxford English Dictionary. It’s been part of the English language for centuries. But the real question people are asking when they Google this is usually about whether it's proper English. We’ve been conditioned to think it’s some sort of linguistic slang or a sign of a dwindling vocabulary.
The truth is way more interesting than a grammar scold’s lecture.
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Is Got a Word You Should Actually Use?
Yes. It’s a word. Specifically, it is the past tense and past participle of the verb "get." It comes from the Old Norse word geta, which meant to reach or to acquire. We’ve been using it since the 1300s. If it was good enough for Middle English poets, it’s probably fine for your text message.
The reason people get so twitchy about it is that "got" is a "heavy-duty" verb. In linguistics, we call these high-frequency words. They do a lot of heavy lifting. Think about how many ways we use it. You "got" a cold. You "got" a promotion. You "got" to the party late. You "got" what I’m saying?
Because it can replace dozens of more specific verbs, it feels "lazy" to some editors. If you use "got" ten times in one paragraph, your writing starts to sound like a drum beat. Thud. Thud. Thud. That’s the real crime—not that it’s "not a word," but that it’s often a boring one.
The Great American vs. British Divide
Here is where it gets spicy. If you grew up in the United States, you probably use "gotten." If you grew up in the UK, you likely think "gotten" sounds like something an 18th-century peasant would say.
In British English, "gotten" mostly died out a long time ago. They use "got" for both the past tense and the past participle.
- UK: "I’ve got much better at football."
- US: "I’ve gotten much better at soccer."
Americans actually preserved an older form of English here. It’s a weird quirk of history. When the colonists sailed over, they brought "gotten" with them. While the language evolved and streamlined in England, the American colonies kept that extra syllable. So, if a British person tells you "gotten" isn't a word, they're just being regional.
Why Do People Hate This Word So Much?
Strunk and White—the duo behind The Elements of Style—basically spent their lives trying to make English more concise. They hated "got" when used to imply possession.
Think about the phrase "I’ve got a car."
Technically, the "got" is redundant. "I have a car" means the exact same thing. In formal writing, that extra word is considered "wordiness." It’s filler. It’s fluff.
But in conversation? "I’ve got" adds a certain rhythm. It’s emphatic. It’s human. If you walked into a room and said, "I possess a cold," people would look at you like you were a malfunctioning robot. "I've got a cold" sounds like a person who needs a tissue and a nap.
When "Got" Becomes a Problem (The Formal Context)
While "got" is a word, it’s a shapeshifter. That’s the danger.
Look at these examples of how "got" hides better verbs:
- "He got an award." (He earned or was presented with an award.)
- "She got the message." (She understood the message.)
- "The situation got worse." (The situation deteriorated.)
In a business report or a college essay, using the more specific verb shows a higher level of precision. It’s not that "got" is illegal; it’s just that "deteriorated" paints a clearer picture. It’s the difference between a sketch and an oil painting.
The Passive Voice Trap
Sometimes we use "get" or "got" to create a "passive" feel without using the actual passive voice. Linguists call this the "get-passive."
"He got fired."
"They got married."
In these cases, "got" acts as a helper. It’s incredibly common in spoken English. In fact, some studies suggest the "get-passive" is becoming more common than the "be-passive" (e.g., "He was fired"). It feels more intentional. It feels like there’s more action involved.
The "Got" vs. "Have" Showdown
If you are writing for Google Discover or trying to rank a blog post, you have to understand the nuance of "have got."
"I have got to go."
Grammatically, this is a mess. It’s a double-up of two verbs that essentially mean the same thing in this context. But it has become an idiom. We even shorten it further to "I gotta go."
Is "gotta" a word? In the dictionary of life, yes. In a legal brief? No way.
Actionable Insights for Better Writing
If you're worried about your use of "got," don't just delete it every time you see it. That makes your writing sound stiff and unnatural. Instead, try these shifts:
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- Audit your possessives. Look for "I’ve got." See if "I have" works better. If you want to sound casual, keep "I’ve got." If you want to sound authoritative, kill the "got."
- Search for "got" in your drafts. If it appears more than twice on a single page, you’re likely being repetitive. Swap one out for a "power verb" like captured, secured, or realized.
- Check your "gotten." If your audience is primarily in the UK or Australia, change "gotten" to "got." If your audience is in the US, "gotten" is perfectly fine for past participles.
- Embrace it in dialogue. If you’re writing fiction or a personal blog post, "got" is your friend. It sounds like how people actually talk. Over-correcting makes your characters or your "brand voice" sound like an AI (ironically).
The bottom line is that "got" is a perfectly valid, historically rich, and incredibly versatile English word. It’s a tool. You wouldn't use a sledgehammer to hang a picture frame, and you shouldn't use "got" when a more delicate word like "attained" is required. But for everything else? It’s got a permanent place in our lexicon.
To clean up your own prose, start by highlighting every instance of "got" in your last three emails. Replace the ones that feel clunky with a more specific action verb. You'll notice an immediate jump in how "professional" the writing feels without losing the conversational spark that keeps people reading.