📓 "Have something to do with" — Connections & Relations
A phrase you'll hear constantly in conversation. It's how native speakers say "it's related" or "it's not related" — and the spoken forms are full of contractions.
Spoken English · Phrase Patterns🎯 Core Idea
"To have something to do with" means something is connected or related to something else. "To have nothing to do with" means it's completely unrelated. In spoken English, you'll hear contracted and informal versions all the time.
⚡ Three Forms
Positive — It's Related
have something to do with
There is a connection — you're not sure exactly what, but it's related
"I think it has something to do with the update they installed."
→ You suspect a connection but can't prove it
Negative — Not Related
have nothing to do with
Zero connection — completely unrelated
"This has nothing to do with you."
→ Clear and direct — "stay out of it" or "don't worry about it"
Question — Is It Related?
What does ... have to do with ...?
Asking about the connection — often with surprise or confusion
"What does that have to do with anything?"
→ "Why are you bringing this up? It's irrelevant!"
🔍 Written vs Spoken — How It Actually Sounds
"What does that have to do with it?" → "What's that got to do with it?"
→ "Got" replaces "have" in casual speech — very common
"It has nothing to do with you." → "It's got nothing to do with you."
→ British/informal favorite — "it's got" instead of "it has"
"It might have something to do with..." → "It might have somethin' to do with..."
→ "Something" often becomes "somethin'" in fast speech
"What has this got to do with me?" → "What's this got to do with me?"
→ Contracted and quick — the natural spoken rhythm
💬 Real-Life Examples
Guessing a cause
"The headache probably has something to do with the weather."
→ You suspect a link but aren't certain
Explaining
"Her mood might have something to do with the email she got this morning."
→ Speculating about someone's behavior
Denying involvement
"I had nothing to do with that decision."
→ Distancing yourself — "it wasn't me"
Setting boundaries
"That's got nothing to do with what we're talking about."
→ Redirecting a conversation — "that's off-topic"
Confused
"What's that got to do with the price?"
→ "Why are you mentioning this? It's not relevant"
Challenging
"What does my age have to do with my ability to do this job?"
→ Pushing back — "my age is irrelevant here"
📊 The Connection Scale
has everything to do with
→ 100% related — this is the core reason
has a lot to do with
→ Strongly connected — a major factor
has something to do with
→ There's a link — not sure how strong
has nothing to do with
→ Zero connection — completely unrelated
💡 Key Takeaway
This phrase is everywhere in spoken English. Learn the three forms (something / nothing / question) and practice the contracted spoken versions with "got".
"What's that got to do with anything?" is one of those lines you'll hear in every TV show, every argument, and every casual conversation.
"What's that got to do with anything?" is one of those lines you'll hear in every TV show, every argument, and every casual conversation.