In fast, relaxed American speech, some common word pairs melt together: going to becomes gonna, want to becomes wanna, and have got to becomes gotta. You'll hear them from coworkers, friends and every TV show. Learn what they mean, how to use them correctly, and when to go back to the full forms.
The pattern
I'm gonna call you later.
We've gotta leave now.
01Gonna = going to + a verb
Gonna replaces going to only when a verb comes next and you're talking about the future: I'm gonna eat. Keep the be verb: I'm gonna, she's gonna, they're gonna.
When going to means moving to a place, it never changes: I'm going to the gym, never "I'm gonna the gym."
- I'm gonna be late, sorry!
- It's gonna rain this afternoon.
- Are you gonna apply for that job?
02Wanna = want to
Wanna replaces want to after I, you, we and they, and in questions with do and does: Do you wanna...? Does he wanna...? In a statement about he, she or it, the verb is wants, so say she wants to, never "she wanna."
- I wanna try that new ramen place.
- Do you wanna come with us?
- Does your sister wanna join?
03Gotta = have got to, have to
Gotta means have to or must. In speech, Americans often drop the have: I gotta go or I've gotta go. With he, she and it, say he's gotta. Gotta has no past form: for the past, use had to.
- I gotta finish this tonight.
- She's gotta renew her license.
- Yesterday I had to work late.
04Kinda, lemme, gimme, dunno
These work the same way. Dunno already includes don't, so say I dunno, never "I don't dunno."
| Reduced | Full form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| gonna | going to | I'm gonna cook. |
| wanna | want to | I wanna rest. |
| gotta | have (got) to | I gotta run. |
| kinda | kind of | I'm kinda tired. |
| lemme | let me | Lemme see. |
| gimme | give me | Gimme a second. |
| dunno | don't know | I dunno. |
05When to use them
Reduced forms are fine in speech, text messages and casual chats with friends or close coworkers. In formal writing (cover letters, essays, reports, emails to clients, managers or professors), always write the full forms. Many Americans write going to but still say gonna out loud.
06Common mistakes
I'm gonna the gym after work.
I'm going to the gym after work.
Gonna only replaces going to before a verb, not before a place.
She wanna move to Denver.
She wants to move to Denver.
After she in a statement, use wants to. Wanna only replaces want to.
I gonna call you tonight.
I'm gonna call you tonight.
Keep am, is or are before gonna.
Dear Ms. Park, I wanna apply for the sales position.
Dear Ms. Park, I would like to apply for the sales position.
Reduced forms don't belong in formal writing like a job application.