# gon

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gon
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. going to

particle · CEFR B1 · Informal · Slang · Dialect

a very informal way of saying 'going to' when you talk about what will happen.

For teachers: a non-standard contraction of 'going to', typically used before a verb to indicate future intent or certainty.

- I think it's gon be a long day at the office today.
- He told his friends he was gon head out early if the party didn't pick up soon.

Usage: Used as an auxiliary to indicate the future; almost always follows a form of the verb 'to be', which is sometimes omitted in specific dialects.

### 2. unit of angle

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a unit for measuring angles, where a right angle is divided into 100 parts.

For teachers: a unit of angular measurement equal to one hundredth of a right angle.

- The surveyor measured the slope of the hill in gons rather than degrees.
- In certain European engineering contexts, the gon is preferred over the degree for its decimal-friendly division of right angles.

Usage: Primarily used in surveying and specific engineering fields in parts of Europe.

## Examples

- I'm gon' tell him the truth tomorrow.
- If you keep acting like that, things aren't gon' end well for you.
- The artist's lyrics reflect a specific dialect where 'gon' replaces the standard future marker, creating a rhythmic flow that feels more authentic to his upbringing than formal grammar would allow.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.