# I got you **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 13, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035 "2010-06-13T18:52:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/1 "2010-06-13T18:52:21Z")
What does this mean when someone tells you this? ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/2 "2010-06-13T18:56:14Z")
Are you fucking kidding? Zero context or examples? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/3 "2010-06-13T18:57:25Z")
Kinda depends on context eg Student 1: I got you (I’m your assigned study buddy) Student2 : I got you! (I understand) Teacher : I got you (I’ve observed that you’re both smoking. Detention for both of you) ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/4 "2010-06-13T18:58:09Z")
You are too kind.(hugs) I told my friend I had sent a letter and wanted to explain and he said i got you. Also, we were walking home and it started raining and I said we I can take it from here, and he said it again. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/5 "2010-06-13T18:59:16Z")
> [@BigBertha](#): > > What does this mean when someone tells you this? Depends on context. “I got what you were saying” is common. When said meanly, it can imply “Shut Up.” “I figuratively got a hold of you, so I can protect you” is another. “I got you to believe something that is untrue” (i.e. I tricked you.) “I got a win against you.” I’m assuming that this a complete sentence, or you get more varieties. I got you something: “I procured for you this item” I got you back: “You did something to me, so I returned the favor.” There are probably a lot more. ETA: He’s saying you have been heard or understood. My first guess. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/6 "2010-06-13T19:05:54Z")
The OP is more suited to MPSIMS rather than General Questions–moved. **samclem** Moderator, GQ ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/7 "2010-06-13T19:06:45Z")
Here on the SDMB, it’s spelt “gotcha ya”! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/8 "2010-06-13T19:22:20Z")
> [@BigBertha](#): > > I told my friend I had sent a letter and wanted to explain and he said i got you. Also, we were walking home and it started raining and I said we I can take it from here, and he said it again. > [@BigT](#): > > “I got what you were saying” is common. When said meanly, it can imply “Shut Up.” Without knowing exactly what went on, I’d guess it was definition #1 followed by definition #2 ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/9 "2010-06-13T19:23:27Z")
It means I’ll take care of you. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/10 "2010-06-13T19:27:18Z")
“I understand.” ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/11 "2010-06-13T20:08:54Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > It means I’ll take care of you. Still too vague. Is this in the ‘I’ll provide for all your needs for the rest of your life’ kind of way or the ‘They’ll never find a trace of your remains’ kind of way? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/12 "2010-06-13T20:14:19Z")
[I Got You Babe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzW_7ANnHZI) and the complementary: [You Really Got Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPmmnJ1_5b8&feature=player_embedded) with the somewhat related: [Gotta Get Away (from Me)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGjkViiDbko) ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/13 "2010-06-13T20:30:41Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > Still too vague. > > Is this in the ‘I’ll provide for all your needs for the rest of your life’ kind of way or the ‘They’ll never find a trace of your remains’ kind of way? 😛 Yeah, I was posting from my phone, so I couldn’t really elaborate. All of the responses here were right…of course there are tons of ways one can mean, “I got you”. But, being a lover a slang, I went with a popular slang phrase. If you say, “I want to buy this purse, but I am about 10 bucks short” I might say, “I got you.” That means I will give you the 10 bucks. Might even mean I will buy the whole purse! If you say, “I am so stressed and depressed, my man left me, my dog ran away, and I feel so alone and miserable” I might say, “I got you”. Means, don’t worry, I am here with you, I’ll be a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen. If you say, “I’m running late for work! I know I have to have those papers on the boss’ desk by nine!” I might say, “I got you.” Don’t worry, I’ll get those papers on the desk. So it just means, I’ll take care of you. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/14 "2010-06-13T22:24:19Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > All of the responses here were right…of course there are tons of ways one can mean, “I got you”. > > But, being a lover a slang, I went with a popular slang phrase. Ah, so sort of like, ‘I got your back’? I’ve never heard it used like that before, so I guess it depends on your demographic. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/15 "2010-06-14T00:00:24Z")
Whenever I hear that phrase I think of the really obnoxious ugly woman that Jamie Foxx played in a recurring skit on In Living Color and is why I will forever believe that he should have forfeited any potential Oscars because of that. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/16 "2010-06-14T02:02:48Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > Whenever I hear that phrase I think of the really obnoxious ugly woman that Jamie Foxx played in a recurring skit on In Living Color and is why I will forever believe that he should have forfeited any potential Oscars because of that. Don’t worry about it, Wile E. [I got you](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMlhdO-XurU&feature=related). Catch phrase at the 4:48 mark. Not that you asked for a link, but just in case. I got you. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/17 "2010-06-14T02:09:05Z")
It means the exact same thing as its simplification: Gotcha. ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/18 "2010-06-14T02:19:28Z")
In my click it means “I got your back”. As a neighbor and friend. We keep different hours but will always be aware of the block at all times and keep open communication. It also means that you will never be denied a favor. Just the way it should be. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-you/543035/19 "2010-06-14T02:20:42Z")
thanks guys. 🙂