As an English teacher, students often ask me what gonna, wanna and gotta mean. They mean:
gonna = going to
wanna = want to
gotta = got to -> slang for "have to do something"
I could say these words are not English, but the truth is they are used in American English idiomatic conversation everyday. These expressions are known as reductions. Reductions take a few words and compress them into a shorter slang expression. These expressions should be understood in spoken English, and if you live in the United States, they're certainly OK in conversation. However, they are not used in written English.
Comments
Dear Mr. Kenneth Beare:
Your article about “Gonna, Wanna, Gotta” is super (=excellent, wonderful).
I appreciate it very much
as it helps me to understand American English,
especially when I watch American movies.
I would be very thankful to you,
when you would keep on supplying us with such useful articles.
Best regards,
Anh Van Nguyen
Thanks for teaching english. Those are very useful for me.GBU
There is this song: “You Gotta Be” lyrics by Des’ree that uses this reduction.
So, what about literature and songs?
Is it OK to use these words, this written English, in these kind of texts?
Thanks for the article, short and clear. Vey useful!
Thanks for these words,i love American English to die,howevver we should know that standard english is essential.
And what about “betcha”,
am I right if I think it’s the contraction of “I bet you”?
Thanks for your answer.
@Minerva: It is definitely OK to use these expressions in literature and songs. It’s what’s known as “poetic license.”
There’s a song by Paula Cole called “I Don’t Want to Wait” that has this lyric:
So open up your morning light
And say a little prayer for I
Now that’s taking poetic license to the extreme!
You are correct, FabDab!
Thank you Kenneth for your articles, they realy help me to understand beter the English Language.
Regards.
thank you about your article.it is helpful for me
It is very interesting as I am teacher of English too.
It is an easy way to explain and the sts are always thankful
Thxs a lot
Wonderful!I do appreciate.It is not easy to understand when you first hear it!Thanks!
Thanks for the informaton. It is very useful.
For what it’s worth, it isn’t just a lazy American pronunciation. Our British counterparts also use these reductions. Listen to the song “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles for one clear example.
This is how a native English speaker pronounces English in order to speak fluidly….
thanks mr Kenneth for your great contribution
finaly, i understood what mean this 3 words ….. thank you keneth
Dear Mr. Kenneth, it was excellent. of course it was better to bring some examples.
THANKS
There are other similar, reductions that need to be mentioned: “ Coulda” and “shoulda” which are short for “could have” and “should have”.
Hello, Sir! That’s just wonderful; thanks a lot!
Your article about gonna, wanna and gotta are simple but very usefull for me.
Thank You for the nice and clear article. There are a few points I would like to make. First, I think You mixed the letters J and Y in Your transcriptions of reductions. Either the IPA version (J) or the near-English version (Y) should be used consistently.
Next, if my students says “I got to get up early,” I correct them. To me, the dropping of the “have” or “‘ve” is simply wrong (except in a song). In general, when I hear a student using a lot of reductions but with a weak command of vocabulary, grammar or pronunciation, I feel very uncomfortable. It just seems to be out of whack. These students also tend to write essays loaded with “wannas” and “gonnas.”
One problem I have had is with students using free variation between contractions and the extended forms when reading texts. For example, a text might be “I’ve been working here for two years and I will probably stay for two more” might come out “I have been working here for two years and I’ll probably stay for two more.” This is simply not accurate reading. It also means the students are tempted to construct sentences like *”Yes, I’ll.” I don’t know if the problem is improper teaching or due to over-generalization as a normal part of language learning.
Dear Kenneth,
Thank you very much. I have listened these words gonna, wanna before but gotta first time. I really appreciate your help.
Thanks.
Rustam
God bless you for your help….. Corina Diaz
Thanks
Dear mr Kennth
Thank you very much for your support to improve English language
Darshi
useful and new words especially having knowledge of using that these are just spoken word and not be used in written english but sir i have read american novels they use such words in written forn too. thanks sending me such new word regards fiaz.
thanks a ton! dear teacher
Daily, i receive your emails at my office. Good to work & learn at same time. you are a great
Addahia
hi Keanne,
i would like to thank you because you removed a big burden that was tough for me to carry. my girlfriend in Miami always use this trio and i reply yes without understanding. but with your lesson i am happy, it will be easy to get through and along.
thank you,
Bertin aka Bright J
Actually I am also searching the meaning these words, thank you very much for giving the meaning of them, also you are doing a great job. I really appreciate your lessons.
Bandara Purane
Dear Sir,
Thank you very much for the presentation of this most wanted lesson.I too was in a trouble state to understand those words
and now the matter is very cleared to me.Actually,you always helps
us to improve our knowledge in numerous ways.May you have a long life!
Ananda Abeysinghe-Sri Lanka.
Dear Sir, Thank you very much for your kindness. All your lessons are very useful. Wish you a long life with good health!!!!
Hi Kenneth! thanks a lot for everything you’re doing .GREAT JOB!Really!
Dear sir,
this is excellent. but I want know about tag question. I want every small details.
Dear Mr. Kenneth Beare:
Your article about “Gonna, Wanna, Gotta” is fabulous.
Thank you very much
Supriyadi
Thanks so much
Dear Mr Keneth,
Thank you very much for your lessons. I usually check & read your mails. It is useful to me, because english is not my native language. I always try to learn these second language. So your lessens help me to develop it.
thanks a lot. May you have a long life!
namal,
DearMr .Kenneth,I find your ideas and knowldge poured through email are absolutely useful and applicable for teachers like me in Pakistan.Is there any facility or room for those who want to complete their masters degree in english language?Kindly reply.
Dear Mr, Kenneth,
Thank you for all your help so far. I have problem to use the passive voice. Could you please help me with your lessons.
Thanks in advance
thanks so much about
ganna ,wanna ,gatta
so it’s important for our ,it’s daily language
Interesting explanations. However, I do remember hearing “gonna” in London, spoken by locals. I’m not really sure these reductions are exclusively American.
Many thanks Mr.Kenneth
BR,
Many thanks Mr.Kenneth.
thanks a lot. May you have a long life!
Many thanks Mr.Kenneth
Thank you very much for your lessons.May you have a long life!
Shakyba Ahmed///
Hello Mr. Kenneth Beare,
I would like to thank you personally for the English lessons you have had posted on this site. These articles were very helpful us teachers and other students following esl.about.com. As a matter of fact, the articles on newspaper reading helped me a lot writing my master’s thesis in 2007.
Please write more articles on teachers and students attitudes towards information and communication technology which is also necessary in teaching English as Second Language.
More power!!!
Mhuck
Many thanks Mr.Kenneth.
thanks a lot. May you have a long life!
Dear Mr Kenneth,
Thank you very much. You really help me in teaching my children.
Hi, every time i used to check website posts here in the early hours in the dawn, since i
love to gain knowledge of more and more.
Thanks for all your lessons.I know a lot from what you give us and i hope to bring us also use full topics.
yours Mohammed
thank you for helping.
Thanks very much for this article. One of the biggest problems which face the Arab learners is the use of slang expressions and idioms especially for those who never lived in an English-speaking country.
Thanks alot
Hello, Sir.
I’m a teacher of English in Mozambique, and you happen to help me with my English all the time, which makes it possible for me to help my students with theirs. I feel very ashamed of the explanations I used to give to my students regarding these matters of the gonnas and wannas…well, I simply used to tell them it’s Informal language, not knowing what more to add. Thanks a ton for your simple and clear article.
THANK YOU!!