wanna
v.-
1 want to (v.) A2 Elementary Informal American Englisha casual way to say 'want to' when followed by another verb.
A colloquial contraction of 'want to' used before a verb; it is restricted to contexts where 'to' is not a preposition.
ExampleI really wanna go to the cinema tonight if you are free.
ExampleMost people wanna believe that their hard work will eventually be recognised by the management, even without constant self-promotion.
UsageUsed only in informal speech and writing; never appropriate for formal essays or business correspondence.
- want to
PitfallI wanna the beach.I want to go to the beach.In this sense, 'wanna' replaces 'want to' before a verb. You cannot use it as a replacement for the preposition 'to' in 'go to'.
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2 want a (v.) B1 Intermediate Informal Slanga casual way to say 'want a' when followed by a noun.
A colloquial contraction of 'want a' used before a noun phrase.
ExampleDo you wanna drink or are you not thirsty yet?
ExampleIf you wanna sandwich, you should probably grab one now before the café closes for the afternoon break.
UsageLess common in writing than the 'want to' sense, but frequent in rapid, casual speech.
- want a
Contractions. Attested as early as 1824.