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Informal Contractions

 

Informal contractions are short forms of other words that people use when speaking casually.
They are not exactly slang, but they are a little like slang.
They are more common in American English.

Please remember that these are informal contractions.
That means that we do not use them in "correct" speech, and we almost never use them in writing.
(If you see them in writing, for example in a comic strip, that is because the written words represent the spoken words or dialogue.)

We normally use them only when speaking fast and casually, for example with friends.
 
For example, "gonna" is a short form of "going to".
If you say "going to" very fast, without carefully pronouncing each word, it can sound like "gonna".

Some people never use them, even in informal speech.
 
These informal contractions are not "correct" English.

Do not use them in a written exam,
except in appropriate situations.

 
 
gonna = going to
Gonna to express the going to form of the future is used with first second and third person singular and plural.
 
Note that in the interrogative, are is omitted in second person singular and first and second person plural.
 
* What we gonna do now ?
What are we going to do now ?

* Nothing's gonna change my love for you.

* I'm not gonna tell you.

* I'm gonna get you!
(Je vais t'attraper !)
 
 
wanna = want to
 
Wanna can be used with all persons singular and plural, except third person singular.
This is because wanna scans with I want to, you want to, we want to, they want to, but not with he/she wants to where the final s is too intrusive.
 
* What you wanna do now ?
What do you want to do now?
 
* I wanna go home. My mum and dad are waiting for me and they wanna go out.
 
* Go away! I don't wanna talk to you !
(Eloigne-toi ! Je ne veux pas parler avec toi !)
 
 
 
a wannabee = a want-to-be
 
This term derives originally from the US, but is now used extensively in British English.
A wannabee (literally a want-to-be) is someone who is trying to copy somebody else.
Usually the person they are trying to copy is somebody famous.

 
* Scores of Britney Spears wannabees raided the shops where she had bought her latest outfit.

 
 
Dunno = I don’t know
 
Dunno, meaning I don't know is characteristic of very informal speech in British English.
Note that the word stress in this expression is on the second syllable, whereas with gonna, gotta and wanna it is on the first syllable.

 
 
* - Are you going to college when you leave school ?
- Dunno !

* - What's his name?
- I dunno.
(Quel est son nom ? Je ne sais pas.)

 
 
Gotta = have (got) to
 
Gotta is used in a similar way to gonna and wanna, in this case to show the conversational pronunciation of have got to, or as informal alternatives to have to or must.
It is not so much used in the interrogative.
 
* I gotta / I've gotta phone home right now. My mum'll be worried.
 
* You gotta / You've gotta get changed right away. The match starts in five minutes.
 
* Sorry, I can't stay. I gotta go now.
(Désolé, je ne peux pas rester. Je dois partir maintenant.)

 
 
gimme = give me
 
* Gimme your money.
 
* Don't gimme that rubbish.

* Can you gimme a hand ?
 
* "Just shut up and gimme the money !"
(Tais-toi et donne-moi l'argent!)

 
 
whatcha = what are you
 
whatcha = what have you
 
* Whatcha going to do ?
 
* Whatcha gonna do?
What are you going to do?
* Whatcha got there ?
 
ain't = am not/are not/is not
ain't = has not/have not
 
*I ain't sure.
I'm not sure.

* You ain't my boss.
You are not my boss.
 
* I ain't done it.
I haven't done it.

* She ain't finished yet.
She hasn't finished yet.
 
lotta   =  lot of
 
* This is going cost you a whole lotta money.
Ca va te coûter beaucoup d'argent.
 
kinda = kind of
 
 
* She's kinda cute.
 
lemme = let me
 
* Lemme go !
 
oughta = ought to
 
* I think you oughta talk to him before it's too late.
Je pense que tu devrais parler avec lui avant qu'il ne soit trop tard.
 
gotcha = I got you
 
* Then he grabbed hold of me and said "Gotcha !"
Alors, il m'a attrapé et a dit: "Je t'ai eu!"

 

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