Ch 9 · Lesson 23English · Chapter 9 · Lesson 23 · Grammar primer
Gonna, mate, cheers: informal English words
What gonna, wanna, mate, cheers, cool and awesome really mean: say them with friends, write the full words.
The short version
Gonna is not a spelling
.
Why?Hide
Native speakers say gonna, wanna and gotta constantly in fast speech, but these are sound shortcuts, not correct spelling. Say them out loud with friends. In a work email, a form or an essay, write the full words: going to, want to, got to.
Cheers is not just for drinks
, .
Why?Hide
In British English, cheers usually means thank you, not just what you say before a drink. You will hear it for tiny favours, like someone holding a door. It is friendly and informal, so keep it for casual moments and use thank you in anything formal.
Textbooks teach careful English. With friends, people often speak another way. This page gives you the common informal words, what they mean, and the line: say them with friends, but not in a job email.
| Relaxed | Careful | Means |
|---|---|---|
| | |
wanna | | |
! | . | |
| | |
? | ? |
The same "thank you" goes from relaxed to careful:
- Cheers!
- Thanks!
- Thank you.
- Thank you very much.
Gonna, wanna, gotta: say them, don't write them
In fast speech, two words join and change their sound:
| Say | Write |
|---|---|
. | . |
wanna ? | ? |
gotta . | . |
Gotta means have got to, or must. People often drop the 've in
speech: gotta .
Gonna is not wrong to say, or to type to a friend. It is wrong in a work email, a form or an essay. Want to know when going to is the right future? See the future in English.
Mate, cheers, knackered: British words
These three are very British. You hear them in the UK and on British television.
| Word | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| . | |
| , ! | |
knackered | knackered. |
Cheers is also what people say before they drink together. People
say mate to friends, and also to someone they don't know:
, . An American is more likely to say
buddy, thanks and exhausted. More on the two kinds of English:
British vs American grammar.
Cool, awesome, no worries, hang out
These are used everywhere English is spoken.
| Word | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ; , OK | ? . |
| . | |
| , | ! . |
| , | ? |
In careful writing, use the careful words:
.Going further: What's up? and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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