ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wanna

v.
A2 Elementary US //ˈwɑnə// UK //wˈɒnɐ// wan·na Informal

v. a short way of saying 'want to' or 'want a'. You use it in casual speech or when writing to friends.

v. a phonetic spelling representing the contraction of 'want to' or 'want a' in rapid, informal speech. Used primarily in casual writing, song lyrics, or dialogue to reflect natural pronunciation.


SIMPLE

I wanna go to the beach today.

CONTEXTUAL

If you wanna join us for dinner, we are meeting at the restaurant around seven.

COMPLEX

While you might use 'wanna' in a text message to a close friend, you should avoid it in professional emails where standard spelling is expected.

Origin

Contractions. Attested as early as 1824.

Usage

Functions as a contraction; when replacing 'want to', it is followed by a base verb.

Pitfall

She wanna go home.She wants to go home.'Wanna' only replaces 'want to', not 'wants to'. It cannot be used with third-person singular subjects like he, she, or it.

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