Both are past participles of get, split by variety rather than correctness. American English uses gotten for the sense of acquiring or becoming ("he has gotten better"), and got for possession ("I have got a car"). British English uses got throughout. Gotten is not an error or an Americanism creeping in — it is the older form, kept in the US and largely dropped in Britain.
The core difference
This is a variety split, not a right-and-wrong split. Writers are often told gotten is sloppy or modern; in fact it is the older English form. Britain narrowed to got; American English kept both and gave them different jobs.
How American English divides them
- gotten — acquiring, receiving, or becoming: She has gotten a new job. / It has gotten cold.
- got — possessing, or being obliged: I have got two brothers. / I have got to leave.
The distinction is real and carries meaning. "He has got a car" means he owns one. "He has gotten a car" means he acquired one.
How British English handles it
British English uses got for all of these and treats gotten as an Americanism — though it survives in fixed phrases such as ill-gotten gains, which no British speaker finds odd.
Which should you write?
Match your audience. For American readers, keep the distinction — it is standard and losing it flattens a genuine difference in meaning. For British readers, use got. Neither choice needs defending.
Frequently asked questions
Is gotten a real word?
Yes. It is the standard past participle of get in American English, and it is older than the got-only pattern that became usual in Britain.
Do British people ever use gotten?
Rarely, and mostly in the fixed phrase ill-gotten gains. Otherwise British English uses got as the past participle.
Is there a difference between "have got" and "have gotten"?
In American English, yes. Have got means possess; have gotten means acquired or became. "I have got a ticket" means I hold one; "I have gotten a ticket" means I obtained one.