Language/English/Vocabulary/Slang-contractions

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Although these slang contractions should never be used in written contexts, a lot of native speakers use them both in unformal or formal spoken situations.

For example, you will hear them in many movies and songs.

Therefore it's important to understand their use.

Here are the main ones. Feel free to complete this list by editing this wiki page.

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Difference between ROBBER, BURGLAR ..., Words ending with the suffix less, Useful Sentenses & About.

gonna[edit | edit source]

Gonna = Going to

  • I'm gonna go to the store to pick up some groceries = I'm going to go to the store to pick up some groceries.

wanna[edit | edit source]

Wanna = want to

  • I wanna go out to eat tonight = I want to go out to eat tonight

While, i fact, "wanna" usually means "I want to", it can (and does) on many occasions represent the phrase "I want a ___".

Also worth noting that "wanna" can apply to any type pronoun, i.e., "I wanna", "you wanna", "s/he wanna" - never mind that there is an "s" @ "s/he wants" --, "we wanna", and "they wanna". The "he/she wanna" is obviously even more "slangy" than the others, but then this should not come as a surprise to persons who "know" about English (American for sure and some other, e.g., London/UK) Black slang, in which the verb "to be" is utterly corrupted for lack of conjugation: I be, you be, he be, she be, we be, they be -- all of these are heard "on the streets" of America's urban (and not-so-urban) communities. Thus, the collapse of "He/she wants to/a" into "He/she wanna ...." should not be surprising.

gotta[edit | edit source]

Gotta = have got to

  • I gotta go to bed soon, I'm tired. = I've got to go to bed soon, I'm tired.

shoulda[edit | edit source]

Shoulda is a slang contraction of "should have"

  • I should have washed my car today = I shoulda washed my car today.

ain't[edit | edit source]

See: Language/English/Vocabulary/Meaning-of-ain't

kinda[edit | edit source]

Kinda is a slang contraction of "Kind of"

  • I kind of like it = I kinda like it

lotta/alotta[edit | edit source]

Lotta is a slang contraction of "a lot of"

  • There are a lot of things I need to do today = There's lotta things I need to today

sorta[edit | edit source]

Sorta is a slang contraction of "sort of"

  • That's the sort of thing I don't like. = That's the sorta thing I don't like.

lemme[edit | edit source]

Lemme is a slang contraction of "let me"

  • Let me put on my shoes first = Lemme put on my shoes first.

gimme[edit | edit source]

Gimme is a slang contraction of "give me"

  • Give me another piece of cake! = Gimme another piece of cake!

whatcha[edit | edit source]

Whatcha is a slang contraction of "what are you"

  • What are you doing today? = Whatcha doin' today?

dontcha[edit | edit source]

Dontcha is a slang contraction of "Don't you"

  • Don't you have something better to do? = Dontcha have something better to do?

betcha[edit | edit source]

Betcha is a slang contraction of "bet you"

  • I bet you can't beat me to the car! = I betcha can't beat me to the car!

cmon/c'mon[edit | edit source]

Cmon is a slang contraction of "come on"

  • Come on! Stop teasing me! = C'mon! Stop teasing me!

dunno[edit | edit source]

Dunno is a slang contraction of "don't know"

  • I don't know, sorry. = I dunno, sorry

s'pose[edit | edit source]

S'pose is a slang contraction of "suppose"

  • I suppose so. = I s'pose so.

s'pect[edit | edit source]

S'pect is a slang contraction of "suspect"

  • I suspect it is so. = I s'pect it is so.

innit[edit | edit source]

Innit is a slang contraction of "isn't it"

  • Isn't it wonderful? = Innit wonderful?

y'all[edit | edit source]

Y'all is a slang contraction of "you all"

  • Are you all comfortable? = Y'all comfortable?

fixin'[edit | edit source]

Fixin' is a slang contraction of "fixing"

  • Are you fixing the door? = Are you fixin' the door?
  • I'm fixing to die. = I'm fixin' to die.

wood'nit[edit | edit source]

Wood'nit is a slang contraction of "wouldn't it"

  • Wouldn't it be nice to live forever? = Wood'nit be nice to live forever?

who'dja[edit | edit source]

Who'dja is a slang contraction of "who did you"

  • Who did you expect? = Who'dja expect?

whu'dja[edit | edit source]

Whu'dja is a slang contraction of "what did you"

  • What did you expect? = Whu'dja expect?

wher'dja[edit | edit source]

Wher'dja is a slang contraction of "where did you"

  • Where did you think we were going? = Wher'dja think we were going?

sintcha[edit | edit source]

Sintcha is a slang contraction of "Since you"

  • I've been sad since you left. = I've been sad sintcha left.

sentcha[edit | edit source]

Sentcha is a slang contraction of "Sent you"

  • I sent you the letter. = I sentcha the letter.

whu'mi[edit | edit source]

Whu'mi is a slang contraction of "What am I"

  • What am I going to do about him? = Whu'mi going to do about him?

bad'n[edit | edit source]

Bad'n is a slang contraction of "Bad one"

  • He's a bad one. = He's a bad'n.

f'sho[edit | edit source]

F'soh is a slang contraction of "For sure"

  • I ain't comin' and that's for sure. = I ain't comin' and that's f'sho.

wussup[edit | edit source]

Wussup is slang for "What's up."

  • What's up with you, Jerry? = Wussup with you, Jerry?

dint'cha[edit | edit source]

Dint'cha is a slang contraction of "Didn't you"

  • Didn't you have something better to do? = Dint'cha have something better to do?

wernt'cha[edit | edit source]

Wernt'cha is a slang contraction of "Weren't you"

  • Weren't you here yesterday? = Wernt'cha here yesterday?

'sawrite[edit | edit source]

'Sawrite is a slang contraction of "It's alright"

  • Tell her it's alright if she stays home. = Tell her 'sawrite if she stays home.

did'ja[edit | edit source]

Did'ja is a slang contraction of "did you"

  • Who did you expect? = Who did'ja expect?

whad'ja[edit | edit source]

Whad'ja is a slang contraction of "what did you"

  • What did you expect? = Whad'ja expect?

gotcha[edit | edit source]

(spelled the way it is often spoken) "got you"

  • "Gotcha (= caught you), you little thief!" she cried, as I tried to snatch a cookie from the table.

I'ma[edit | edit source]

I'm going to = I'm gonna

  • I'ma set you free

Videos[edit | edit source]

Lesson on AMERICAN SLANG CONTRACTIONS[edit | edit source]

Informal Contractions & British English Slang[edit | edit source]

Learn American Slang | 15 Informal English Contractions[edit | edit source]

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

Contributors

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