Word
gonna
US/ˈɡɑnə/
UK/ɡˈənɐ/
Definition
part. a short way of saying 'going to' when you talk about the future. You use it in casual speech or text messages with friends.
part. a phonetic reduction of the phrase 'going to' when used as a semi-auxiliary to indicate future intent or inevitability. Restricted to informal registers and casual speech; generally avoided in formal writing except when transcribing dialogue.
Examples
“I'm gonna see a movie tonight.”
“If we don't leave the house right now, we're gonna miss the start of the show.”
“While the speaker used formal vocabulary throughout the presentation, his frequent use of 'gonna' created a surprisingly casual atmosphere that put the audience at ease.”
Examples
simple
“I'm gonna see a movie tonight.”
contextual
“If we don't leave the house right now, we're gonna miss the start of the show.”
complex
“While the speaker used formal vocabulary throughout the presentation, his frequent use of 'gonna' created a surprisingly casual atmosphere that put the audience at ease.”
Usage
Used only before a base verb to indicate the future; it cannot replace 'going to' when 'to' is a preposition (e.g., 'I'm gonna the store' is incorrect).
Pitfall
I'm gonna to go
I'm gonna go
The word 'gonna' already includes the 'to' from 'going to', so adding another 'to' is redundant.
Etymology
Contraction of going to. Attested since 1913 (OED, "gonna"). The pronunciation of present participles with the sound n rather than ng has a long history (see g-dropping on Wikipedia).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-2
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/gonna