Have and Have Got

Have got and have mean the same but have got is more informal. Look at these sentences:

I’ve got some money in my wallet.    or    I have some money in my wallet. (more formal)

Tom hasn’t got a dog     or    Tom doesn’t have a dog. (more formal)

• We normally use have (got) to talk about possession, relationships, illnesses, etc. In these contexts, it is not used in the continuous form:

They have a new house   or   They’ve got a new house. Not: They are having a new house

Have you got any brothers or sisters?     or      Do you have any brothers or sisters?

I’ve got a headache.    or    I have a headache.

• For the past we use had (without got)

We had a great time last night.

I had a red bicycle when I was little.

• In past interrogative and negative sentences we use did and did not:

Did you have a mobile phone when you  were little?

I didn’t have blond hair when I was younger. I’m dying it.

• We use have in numerous collocations:

Have breakfast/lunch/dinner

Have a shower/bath

Have a good/bad time

Have  a break/rest/nap/party, etc.